My thoughts on why 'Revolver' has eclipsed 'Pepper' as the Beatles' masterpiece

It's because of Hipsters and Internet trolls. I'm kind of serious about that.

Not directed at you, OP...

 

Say what you want...Pepper made it clear just how great the Beatles were. Revolver has great songs but it is a bit diffuse in style. In the 70s your local discount store would have Red and Blue in stock and Pepper. For Revolver you had to drive to the Mall and hit Camelot Records. I sometimes get the impression that everyone pronouncing Revolver the masterpiece was born after the 80s lol. Yeah I am guilty of reverse ageism lol.

 

Let me go ahead and stop you right there. It hasn't.

 

Besides Frank chose Pepper for Lumpy Gravy part one.

 

I have never understood the angst for Yellow Submarine. It is catchy as can be. It is a perfect vehicle for Ringo. One thing about Revolver, is that it is an album that makes you feel good, and Yellow Submarine certainly helps that vibe.

 

It's like being asked which of your children you love best. No Sophie's Choice for me but if I could take only one to a desert island it would be Revolver. The individual songs hold up better althoughPepper was flashier and brilliant.

 

But fortunately, the Beatles "filler" is still high quality material. Wait fits perfectly on Rubber Soul, and is a song I enjoy very much. 3/5 stars.

 

In other words, killer filler.

 

Not the highlight of the album, but not filler by my definition, a complete throwaway.

 

Sgt Pepper flows better

 

Another couple of things. The US and UK Revolver albums were very different animals in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Now they are actually the same and obviously the UK version was always superior.

Revolver also has hit singles on it, Pepper didn't.

I think it's funny that the OP said that Revolver is cohesive. I don't think so. I've always felt it was the forerunner to the White Album with every track feeling like a John song, a Paul song, etc. It feels less like a group album that most others, IMHO. I love it, but mostly for the individual tracks, not as an album (if that makes sense).

 

I can think of quite a few Beatles albums I like more than Sgt Pepper, Revolver is but one of them.

 

It's amazing to me how people can willfully ignore the existence of Yellow Submarine on the album. Dr. Robert is not exactly top shelf, either.

Exhibit A.

Yellow Submarine follows Here, There and Everywhere. One of the greatest love songs ever written. I hope you are at least consistent and also defend Maxwell's Silver Hammer following Something.

 

And I'm apparently odd in that both songs are two of my favorites on the whole album!

 

I think it's merely because people got burned out on "Pepper", or hearing about "Pepper", and it became cooler to like "Revolver". Check again in another decade and they'll be saying "Rubber Soul" or "The White Album" is their best. I still like "Pepper" best, which, in 2018, makes me the hipster.

I knew a posse of music snobs that thought "Ram" was the bees knees. Then a few years later when I brought it up they were like, "nope, overrated, now it's 'Red Rose Speedway'". It's just a stupid game people play to feel hip and elite or something. Group think. I'm just waiting for the day "Beatles For Sale" finally gets its due.

 

Revolver suffers from 2 poor mixes. The stereo mix has hard panning and the mono mix is muddy and unpleasant. Sgt Pepper has a stellar mono mix. Sgt Pepper wins.

 

A rare breed, indeed.

What a fine day it will be!

 

Isn't For Sale now thee Cult-Favourite Beatles lp among the hipster crowd?

 

Well it's my opinion exactly. Pepper, Abbey Road, White Album.

 

Bullseye. When I first bought a copy of Pepper in '76 or '77, listening to it was like visiting this awesome 60's London flat of the imagination. I can still see its wallpaper in my mind. I have visuals in my mind for every song on the album. I don't think there's another album that I know that is so strikingly visual in my mind.

 

For me, Abbey Road is the fab four's masterpiece. Then Revolver, then Pepper/MMT, then the rest.

I generally agree with the "less McCartney" sentiment, and of course AR is primarily a McCartney record. But overall I like it best of all their records. To me, it's their Dark Side Of The Moon.

I'm finding it harder to listen to the white album as time goes on. Sure, there's a handful of great songs (most of them Lennon and Harrison contributions), but so much filler (mostly McCartney contributions). I agree generally with the sentiment that Revolver seems to be on a continuous upswing as it ages. A very fine record indeed. Also consider the singles produced around that time, and it's an even richer period for the band before they splintered off into factions.

 

I like the original Pepper stereo mix as well.

 

I always found Pepper to be overrated. It's got some great songs on it, but a few too many granny songs.

As much as I love Revolver, I still prefer Rubber Soul over it!

 

It is in my house.

"Baby's In Black" should also be best Beatle song-guh. If I'm so wrong why did they play it at every concert? See? Even Beatles knew! 3/4 and Lennon/McCartney harmonies for the win. We don't need no psychedelic mumbo jumbo.

 

The White Album is so disjointed that I find it depressing. It's the sound of the Beatles breaking up.