Arguably The Beatles' tightest and well-produced (if not over-produced) albums is "Abbey Road." And that's not really saying something.That's an odd statement since the fifth Beatle was producer George Martin and they were responsible for the fantastically pulled together "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band," which is an exquisitely put together album and probably the pinnacle of rock music as a concept and art in the 1960s.
"Abbey Road" isn't nearly as good of an album, but it's crisper. Zero loose ends and the most precise album from note to note as the Beatles ever got.
Ironically, or no, "Abbey Road" was recorded largely without the Fab Four playing together. Side B alone was Paul McCartney's baby (funny thing, a lot of Big Mac's solo albums just years later were incredibly loose, raunchy and raw)
and was just a hodgepodge of melodies.The album's most concise songs are "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" and "Octopus' Garden," the latter being one of the worst Beatles songs ever and the former being one of the most underrated.
"Sgt. Pepper" was similar in terms of everyone being involved. In "The Beatles Anthology," George Harrison and Ringo Starr admitted to coming into recording sessions for the album with nothing to do.
The album was a big orchestral piece and there's very, very little guitar a just a tad more drums. All four where in the room, but just two (John, Paul) were making the music.
Two great, seminal albums.
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