REVIEW:
I heard the first On Air album around the same time I was listening to Anthology. Man, I really got into the Beatles for a bit there. I had grown up with their music my entire life, but I was a huge Carpenters fan before that point. This set has music, but we also get a lot of comedy and interview material. I’m a weird fan of this stuff, as I love having a popular history of things. However, I want to hear rock jams and not Ringo calling people college pudding.
But, that’s just me. Each Beatle fan is unique in their sensibilities. While I only got to drown in five songs on repeat from the album, I can say that what I heard convinced me of the superiority of this set. Priced under 20 bucks, it would be a welcome addition to any fan’s Christmas stocking. Do people still do stockings? I thought you gave up on that stuff when your age hit double digits.
The sources vary for the recordings, so don’t expect stellar quality throughout the presentation. However, the Beeb did an amazing job at saving so much of this material. You can almost feel Brian Epstein in the background wringing his hands, as he forces a certain image for the Liverpool Gang of Four. But, let’s stop with the historical speculation and enjoy the music.
RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW!