Listened to the original stereo from 2009 boxset first.
Some general comments about the original UK stereo.
Up to Sgts. when Beatles put their foot down, we did not get any of the same album songs and lineups that the UK did.
N. Am. wanted to make more money and broke up the UK albums, creating more albums and changing the sequences of all album songs up to and including Revolver.
The UK Revolver has 3 extra John songs: I’m Only Sleeping, And Your Bird Can Sing, and Dr. Robert so you have to reckon with this big change of 14 songs as opposed to 11.
Two of the sequences become interesting with Taxman running into Eleanor Rigby, then I’m Only Sleeping and Love You To. Follow that sequence of styles and sounds!
Side 2 went from Good Day Sunshine into And Your Bird Can Sing then For No One and Doctor Robert. Another interesting sequence!
More Lennon voices and 2 more rock nos. on the original album, but everything makes sense.
So, after listening to the new stereo mix:
It is louder, richer, and more intense overall.
The vocal parts are better separated–you can hear individual harmonies when three are singing.
The lead singers’ voices seem to have more articulation
The instrument parts are all punched up.
Individually, songwise:
Taxman is wilder. The rhythm guitar part is noticeably punched up.
Eleanor Rigby–nice voice separation on Lennon and McCartney on the home stretch. You can hear each of the classical instrument parts.
I’m Only: there’s a nice boost on the acoustic 6 from the right channel playing most of the guitar parts.
The sound effects are louder, moving around.
Love You To: the drone is deeper. Harrison is sure loudly doubletracked in all his songs. The percussion on this cut is outstanding and more noticeable including Ringo’s tambourine toward the end.
Here There: very sublime vocals; ‘purest’ on the album. The finger snaps at the end are delineated and louder.
Yellow Submarine comes off very well–sound effects clearer and the 3 part harmony individually delineated. Sounds like Ringo is thudding on a tympani on the home stretch.
She Said–one of the best new ones–lead guitar parts crossing channels. Ringo’s spilling, cascading, pounded drumming is elevated, especially on “I said…”
Good Day: 2 pianos clearer, 2 channels.
And Your Bird: incredible bass and drums. Vocals very pumped up,
For No One: 2 pianos, 2 channels.
Dr. Robert: loud with some ‘screechy’ guitar bits occasionally on the right.
I Want to Tell You: always liked that piano discord which is louder now.
Got to Get You–another good new with the brass sounding full: a complete sound now; Macca’s basslines louder.
Tomorrow: new version lets the sound effects move around and make clearer crosses. The periodic mad munchkin voices, the flitting brass fanfares, the constant drone of the tamboura keep popping up more obviously anchored by Ringo’s drumming.
I went back and played some of the mono which may be integrated/unified more, but the volume, depth, richness, intensity, and separation of sounds are completely missing.
So overall, this new mix is the one I will go back to because it’s like being in the studio with them as they make this album. There is a much stronger presence of the band at the recording IMHO.
Also listened to the 45 of Paperback and Rain new (stereo & mono) and the stereo is as good as it gets. You can hear the individual vocal parts and Ringo’s regular tambourine flourished. Great bass, too.
Rain is right up there with She Said and Tomorrow in terms of intensity. Ringo’s sensational drumming is highlighted more.
Haven’t checked out the 2 CDs of demos yet. If I find a need to comment, I’ll get back to you guys.
The 100 page book has a lengthy writeup on the making and recording of each song.
Klaus Voorman, the cover artist, has included a comic about how he made the cover. BTW/ whole boxset was packaged in Czechoslovakia?!
Didn’t hear anything which made me prefer the earlier 2009 stereo and certainly not key songs on the mono.