The Beatles
Anthology Volume 3

(Capitol)

Anthology Volume 3 is the final installment of The Beatles' series of archival recordings, and it contains the best music of the three packages, despite the fact that the band had started to splinter during the time period in which it was recorded.  While the first anthology suffered from the group's having not yet developed its own style and the second anthology suffered from inferior studio experimentation, the outtakes contained in this third set are raw, yet oddly complete in their own way. Each of the songs is a stripped down version of what finally appeared on the group's albums, and each combines the ensemble's early influences, the knowledge gained from its musical adventurousness, and the full development of its members' individual stylistic approaches.

Some of the many highlights on Anthology Volume 3 include a slow, blues-based version of Helter Skelter that was trimmed down from 12 minutes; an outstanding early rendition of Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da; and a completed recording of George Harrison's Not Guilty, which never made it onto an actual album by The Beatles.  Excellent acoustic recordings abound, including early versions of Happiness is a Warm Gun and While My Guitar Gently Weeps. The Long and Winding Road appears in its un-orchestrated, but final format, and the double disc ends appropriately with The End, which contains a longer sequence of guitar solos. 

1 Star:   Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!