Under the illusion of the last work or even death, "Abbey Road" is a suitable end to one of the iconic bands of all time. Not the final Beatles release ("Let it Be" I believe is the official last album, although recorded before "Abbey Road") this is the one where they held their breath to make sure they get everything down before departing to other adventures. After their Sgt. Pepper/Magical Mystery Tour year, the Fab Four went out of their way to look minimal, not only with the White Album but also with the cover of "Abbey Road." Four guys are walking across the street looking like they're going to work. Not on a vacation, or a place of pleasure, but a sharp direction toward labor or work mode. Or even coming back from lunch but now the lunch hour is over, and it's back to the mines of creating some new Beatle sounds.
The music within "Abbey Road" is very much the finalization of what they were working on at the time. Side two is a suite of songs that are half-finished or short bursts of creativity. Almost like a sketch book, but one made by sonic geniuses. "Abbey Road" is very much the escape route after recording/filming their failure "Let It Be" (or "Get Back") and realizing that it will take a great amount of focus to do "Abbey Road." It's an album of energy or focus, and it's an amazing document as well as a work of pop perfection.
When I bought this album as a teenager, I thought nothing could be better than this. I also didn't realize that it was the end of The Beatles as well. The news came to a shock to me, but of course, the press at the time were reporting troubles in the Apple offices and homes of The Beatles. Listening to it now, I'm impressed with how fresh some of the music is. To me, it's John Lennon's last great umph in his songwriting talents (besides his early Plastic Ono singles and first solo album). "Come Together," "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" on side one is a fantastic beginning and ending for that side of the disc. The McCartney associated songs are not bad, but not dynamic as the opening and closing number on side A. McCartney comes through the second side as parts of the suite/melody becomes an urgent sense of tension such as "She Came In Through the Bathroom Window" and "You Never Gave Your Money." "Golden Slumbers" and "Carry That Weight" is also a sign of relief on the part of the band, or more accurately (at least musically) McCartney.
Lennon also shins with "Mean Mr. Mustard" and "Polythene Pam." What is beautiful at this point in my life, I'm not sure which is the Paul or John songs. I suspect I can tell, and I'm not cheating by reading the backup material. Also noted is the strong presence of George Harrison's work on the album. Still, it is a sound of people cleaning up their closet, or wiping the table clean before leaving the room for the last time.
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