The Beatles - The White Album
Apple
November 22nd, 1968.
The Beatles legendary run of records continued in 1968 with the release of their ninth studio album, and only double album, 'The Beatles' - known as 'The White Album' forever after. 55 years on, and its enigmatic and intoxicating drip still captures the eye and ears of music fans worldwide.
The White Album is a notorious mixed bag of treats. Dip your hand in and what comes up and out is potentially of masterclass quality, or mediocrity. It's an unpredictable affair. A lot is covered, and therefore not everything is going to be done justice, however the vast expanse of sound and genre is mind-boggling in boldness and scale - all corners are covered to some degree; at least to the contemporary standards of the day.
The Fab Four begin to pull away and write their own material - the divide begins to part the seas. Mostly written during a retreat in India, the band sought after peace of mind; getting out of the spotlight and in to their own skin. The artwork makes sense when this is taken in to account - a blank slate. There's plenty to learn from yourself - an infinite abundance of discovery; layers upon layers of emotion, intellect, perspective and dreams wait to be dived into. Making sense of the self is a never-ending, ultimately uplifting and endlessly fulfilling exploration. There may not be a more noble adventure available to us. Take the step in to the forever. The White Album feels like the forever - every twist and turn taken; every surprise set and swiftly fallen in to; every emotion ebbs-and-flows. Like life, the White Album is home to the good and bad; the yin and yang; things will hit, things will miss; the black and white with a large touch of grey area.
A ballsy move by the forward-thinking foursome.
Number 9. Number 9. Number 9. Number 9. Number 9. Number 9. Number 9. Number 9. Number 9. Number 9.
