Months and months after they were first rumoured (yeah, we're going with British spelling for this one) to be happening, the much-anticipated Beatles Remasters hit stores today... although it's unclear whether any store actually has copies of either the Stereo (shown to the left) or Mono box sets that fans so desperately want. Amazon.com told me I'd have to wait 2-4 weeks for my $180 investment to arrive (although the order is available for FREE Super Saver Shipping)... and if you're looking for the Mono set, you'll be waiting even longer (3-6 weeks) and paying more ($230) for less music. Why less music? Well, mono was the primary method of listening to music in the 60s, and the band, along with legendary producer George Martin, spent the majority of their time mixing the albums for mono instead of stereo. But by the tail-end of their recording career, personal listening trends had shifted, and mono mixes were never recorded for Yellow Submarine, Abbey Road, or Let It Be. These remastered reissues, which coincide with the release of The Beatles: Rock Band, are said to be the last piece of The Beatles' archive. Although we could very well imagine a vinyl reissue at some point in the future, and regardless of the fact that our ears may not be sensitive enough to notice the subtle differences between Stereo and Mono versions, these reissues are being widely heralded for their overall improvement in sound quality. While expensive and in short supply, The Beatles Remasters are now the definitive discography for a band that has deserved every superlative its been given.
(Photo: Apple Records, via CNET)
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