With
Revolver
,
the Beatles
made the Great Leap Forward, reaching a previously unheard-of level of sophistication and fearless experimentation.
Sgt. Pepper
, in many ways, refines that breakthrough, as
consciously synthesized such disparate influences as
psychedelia
, art-song,
classical
music,
rock & roll
, and
music hall
, often in the course of one song. Not once does the diversity seem forced -- the genius of the record is how the
vaudevillian
"When I'm 64"
seems like a logical extension of
"Within You Without You"
and how it provides a gateway to the chiming guitars of
"Lovely Rita."
There's no discounting the individual contributions of each member or their producer,
George Martin
, but the preponderance of whimsy and self-conscious art gives the impression that
Paul McCartney
is the leader of the Lonely Hearts Club Band. He dominates the album in terms of compositions, setting the tone for the album with his unabashed melodicism and deviously clever arrangements. In comparison,
Lennon
's contributions seem fewer, and a couple of them are a little slight but his major statements are stunning.
"With a Little Help From My Friends"
is the ideal
Ringo
tune, a rolling, friendly
pop
song that hides genuine
anguish, a la
"Help!"
;
"Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds"
remains one of the touchstones of British
; and he's the mastermind behind the bulk of
"A Day in the Life,"
a haunting number that skillfully blends
's verse and chorus with
McCartney
's bridge. It's possible to argue that there are better
Beatles
albums, yet no album is as historically important as this. After
, there were no rules to follow --
rock
and
bands could try anything, for better or worse. Ironically, few tried to achieve the sweeping, all-encompassing embrace of music as
did here. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine