In at the count, straight to air, sometimes bashing through 18 tracks a day, this second (and far superior) collection of BBC recordings by the Fab Four contains 63 tracks but leaves you wanting more. It's that good. This is the post-Hamburg Beatles: immediate, vital, brimming with confidence and swagger and taking on all comers. Featuring their own early originals and loads of rock'n'roll covers, it's one of the best recorded demonstrations of not just how good The Beatles were, but also the vigour they displayed, the speed and alacrity of the musicianship, and the sheer joy they evidently got from these sessions. Listen to Words of Love and Please Mr Postman and swoon. A fantastic musical historical document that sounds as fresh and exciting as anything released today. Just press play.
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Brian Boyd
Brian Boyd, a contributor to The Irish Times, writes mainly about music and entertainment
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