Please Please Me review

Back to where it all began. It's the very first Beatles album, which unlike other first albums thankfully isn't just full of covers. This is before The Beatles became more arty and in many ways even more compelling, but their earlier stuff is wonderful music as well. This dominated the charts for 30 weeks. It's interesting to wonder how many people knew this album would be the beginning of the most legendary music group of all time.

Tracks:

1. I Saw Her Standing There: 9/10 a perfect introduction to The Beatles: it captures all of their energy, exuberance, soul and musical innovation like a perfectly composed still photograph in just 2 minutes and 55 seconds.

2. Misery: 8/10 simple but effective, this earns extra points for being a song called 'Misery' that is still enjoyable to listen to and isn't just depressing.

3. Anna (Go to Him): 9/10 another excellent song which deviates from formula and is unexpectedly moving.

4. Chains: 7/10 less memorable than the opening trio and it feels like a filler, but it's a good filler at that.

5. Boys: 7/10 certain bits are tiresome, such as all those made up words inserted in there for no apparent reason, but otherwise it's hard not to enjoy this lively tune.

6. Ask Me Why: 8/10 a step back up in the form of a lovely song which genuinely feels like poetry.

7. Please Please Me: 9/10 an early reminder that The Beatles always make a song, whatever its lyrical content or theme, hugely entertaining and they always sing like they mean it. Their harmonies are particularly strong here as well.

8. Love Me Do: 6/10 the first Beatles single hasn't aged well and while many times the simplicity of early Beatles songs doesn't matter and also means they don't outstay their welcome, here it becomes grating. Still, it's got a good beat and it's enjoyable enough.

9. P.S. I Love You: 8/10 it may be similar to so many other songs you've heard, but many of those songs don't have so much honesty and don't connect so effortlessly.

10. Baby it's You: 8/10 ditto.

11. Do You Want to Know A Secret: 8/10 as much as the central idea has been done to death, the song approaches it from a different angle and still entertains.

12. A Taste of Honey: 8/10 another impressive cover with plenty of enthusiasm, although it doesn't necessarily stand out loads.

13. There's a Place: 7/10 this song is fine, but it doesn't really go above fine.

14. Twist and Shout: 8/10 energetic, well played and above all fun, The Beatles own this song to the point where it's very easy to forget that it's actually a cover.

Best song: I Saw Her Standing There
Worst song: Love Me Do

Summary: An excellent debut for the most acclaimed group in history. This album drops many hints about the dazzling heights The Beatles were to reach and they cement themselves as intelligent and brilliant musicians from the word 'go'. Even the lesser songs are pretty good. Still, there's a slight bittersweet feeling sometimes when looking back on this era of music. In terms of bands, the people of the 60s got to listen to this poetry. What do the people of today get? One Direction.

Final rating: 9/10