BSmack wrote:What happened to your avitar? :wink:
Music take: The early Beatles albums are horribly underrated by most music critics, who prefer to dwell on the post touring phase of the Beatles career. In doing so, they are missing out on some great music. From Meet the Beatles through Rubber Soul, these albums reveal the soul of a band struggling to break the bonds imposed on them by a system that wanted them to remain locked in 2 minute long, 4/4 time pop songs. it was only through their fortitude, personality and sheer brilliance that they were able to evolve and transcend these petty constraints. In the process The Beatles created music that was both timeless and very danceable. Which is very important if you want to win a Grammy. Just ask Britney Spears, who now has more Grammys than Jimi Hendrix.
![Image](http://i.cnn.net/cnn/2004/SHOWBIZ/Music/02/08/beatles.photogs/cover.beatles.jpg)
You had me until you mentioned "timeless and very danceable" in the same thought frame as the Beatles and Britney Spears.
Britney spears music is forgettable fad music. I couldn't mention more than one or two titles of her songs (
maybe, if I thought real hard), and she broke no new ground, ever. The Beatles still draw new fans 40 years after. Two years after Britney peaked no one cares.
The difference between the beatles early compositions and their later ones can really be summed up (in composition, not musicality) rather easily by contemplating the carefree simplicity of "I want to hold your hand" versus the more personal and mature "Long and winding road"
Musically, they broke new territory with catchy pop licks and phrases, and soaring harmonies early on. Later, they were certainly better musicians, but their writing dealt less with the instant pop culture hit and more with the social conditions of the times and what they themselves were experiencing in their own lives.
The later beatles work also benefited from better recording equipment, open ended recording dates and times (with no touring or money limitations), so experimentation (herbal, chemical, technical, and musical) could take the forefront.
And never underestimate the power Beatle #5 had shaping their sound.
IMO, the Grammies are a "who's hot now" suck fest.