This newly remastered edition of Yellow Submarine includes 15 fully remixed/remastered tracks, including songs which were originally released on Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Magical Mystery Tour, and the original soundtrack to Yellow Submarine. EMI. 2005.

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Other songs that benefit from the remix include "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," which has a new crystaline purity; "Baby You're A Rich Man," in which the slightly annoying speeded-up trumpet is potted down slightly and the vocals boosted; "Sgt. Pepper / With A Little Help From My Friends," which has a bit more clarity in the instrumental mix and a tighter bottom; and "Only A Northern Song," where all the psychedelic horn fills and chimes are given a nice swirling feel.

The only minor problem I could detect was in "Eleanor Rigby." One reviewer here claims the remix reveals Paul is singing flat. That's not the case-- he's right on pitch, and his voice has been given a bit more "top," an improvement over the original muffled quality of the original. But his vocal also seems to be a fraction of a beat BEHIND the backing "string octet." This is not at all apparent on the original mix. I wonder if this is because one of the tape heads on the Studer 4-track was slightly misaligned on the original recording and mixdown? If so, I can appreciate the problem in trying to remix it.

One can only marvel at the musicianship, vocal ability, songwriting genius, and craft displayed in these recordings. It's enough to make you believe Timothy Leary was right when he proclaimed John, Paul, George and Ringo were four superhuman angels sent to enlighten the human race. I'm quite sure we'll never see their like again, but fortunately, thanks to modern recording technology, we will always have their music to enjoy.

32 of 33 found the following review helpful:

A Gem!Oct 21, 1999

As a fanatical fan who grew up with the Beatles, I was suspicious of a newly remastered CD. Like past remastering Beatles projects, I expected little more than a new compilation of analogue dumps.

Not so. When these tunes were originally recorded, the engineers had four tracks from which to mix. That meant a lot of bouncing and no true stereo imaging. For example, on Eleanor Rigby we originally heard the string quartet essentially in mono on one channel and the vocals in mono on the other. Fast forward to the late `90s. The engineers retrieved the tapes with the original vocals (all recorded on separate tracks) and the string quartet (also on separate tracks) and digitally synchronized them. Voilà! Now they have eight tracks to work with. The result is a fully realized stereo mix of this classic. The vocals absolutely surround you as does the string quartet. For the first time I'm sitting in the middle of the performance, enveloped by it, not listening from afar. After literally hundreds of listenings during the past three decades I'm hearing instrument nuances and riffs I hadn't realized existed.

Each cut benefits greatly from this meticulously reconstructed digital stereo remixing. The three-dimensional vocals are an absolute joy! To the purists who look at such tinkering with dismay, they still have their legacy albums. For the rest of us -- and new generations of listeners -- this production is an absolute gem, as exciting to listen to today as it was three decades ago. Thanks to technology, I've been reintroduced to these tunes in a way I never thought possible. I'm looking forward to the day when the complete Sgt. Peppers and the rest of the Beatles catalogue are remastered in this way.

28 of 29 found the following review helpful:

Awesome!!Sep 16, 1999

Yesterday my 20 and 19 y/o sons surprised me with the Yellow Submarine soundtrack, knowing I am still a Beatles fan at heart. The experience after listening to it was exhilarating! EMI learned from the Anthology sessions in early 1995. The remastering job is outstanding, bringing back to life these tracks which pretty much sound as fresh as being recorded recently. The voices which used to appear in the single right channel are spread nicely, and you'll notice the three part harmony singing as if recorded on separate microphones. The strings, bass, percussion is punchier, clear and with an outstanding stereo spacing. After listening, I enjoyed jumping to Hey, Bulldog and to It's all too much as I did 21 years ago! The other conclusion is that EMI should learn that with those tapes, they are still sitting in a gold mine, and I would not mind (neither many people I know) purchasing probably from A Hard Day's Night until Abbey Road if beautifully remastered in this fashion. I am in my mid forties, and this listening experience still provides listening pleasure and a good dose of nostalgia with a smile. Positively recommended!

15 of 17 found the following review helpful:

Stunning!Nov 18, 2001
By Astrid Slomova
OK, I know. Purists are going to point out that this is not the original version of the YELLOW SUBMARINE album, and they would be right. But, it really is THAT good.

First, all of the songs from the film are included here instead of the George Martin score (don't get me wrong--it's nice, but how many people actually played Side Two of the LP that many times?). Then, of course, there is the remixing (which, no doubt, will irritate some purists). Let me say that I have been a Beatles fan and collector for decades. I know and love their recordings, but have been irritated by the somewhat haphazard nature of some of the stereo mixes. The mono versions were put together with extreme care, and it is evident--they are breath-taking. However, in many cases, the stereo mix seems an afterthought, with the lead vocal often on only one channel and sometimes mixed so far down as to be barely intelligible. This remix solves that problem. The original multitrack recordings (prior to being bounced and combined for four-track) were used and mixed from scratch. The sound, while different (and not different) from the original, gives the listener a new insight into the performance.

So, how are they NOT different? No instruments were added or deleted. Everything that was recorded and in the original mix is still present. However, more range (both in frequency and dynamics) is audible, and the true stereo sound is a real treat. Frankly, I wish EMI would give all of the Beatles' recordings this treatment. Would I replace my current CDs with those remixes? No. However, comparing the results is fun and this album was obviously remixed with great care and respect, so I see no sacrelege.

Standout tracks: "All You Need is Love" (one of John Lennon's most beautiful pieces, in my opinion, takes on new dimension in this mix), "Hey Bulldog" (vocal front and center), "Only a Northern Song" (first time in stereo), and "Nowhere Man" (listen to the depth in the vocals).

Don't throw away your original copy of the soundtrack. But don't be predisposed to disliking this one, either. On its own merits, it is a great achievement and homage to the greatest recording act of all time (that last bit was just my opinion, but then so is all of this, so there it is).

11 of 12 found the following review helpful:

This one leaves you full... but ready for second helpingsJan 05, 2003

Let me get right to the point. I am in love with the Beatles. Not in a screaming teenage girl way, but in a mature and completely awed way. I own every single album by the Beatles (at least the British versions... they are the only ones available on CD) and this was the last that I purchased. The reason? Well, it is mostly material which can be found on other albums. But I was on a quest to own every single song by the Beatles and I needed this album to do it.
I will be the first person to tell you that this album is flawed. The order is almost the way the songs appear in the film, but it is a little scattered. Let me tell you teh good things about this album, though.
1)The remastering was done very well. Don't listen to the people telling you that they like the mono versions better. This album has excellent sound quality and every song sounds clear and full.
2) The liner notes in the CD tell you when each song appears in the film. Even though I have seen the film a thousand times (I love it!) I could not for the life of me figure out when Think for Yourself appears in it. But the liner notes tells you by placing the title of the songs over pictures from the movie that will let you know!
3) The four original Yellow Submarine songs are great. Hey Bulldog is an excellent song that John Lennon said he just "knocked off". You wouldn't know it. All Together Now may be the weakest of the four songs. Even though it is a bit repitive and not at all genious, it if fun and always reminds me of the end of the movie. Only a Northern Song and It's All Too Much are both amazing songs by George Harrison. I have the sneaking suspicion that George got two songs in this movie because they were not being allowed to appear on other Beatles albums.

If you are someone who is only casually interested in the Beatles, this album is a good way to get started on their music (an even better way is with 1). And if you are a die hard fan, this offers four great new songs to listen to and love.

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