RECOMMENDED. Music. “Rubber Soul” by The Beatles.

“Rubber Soul,” the 1965 album by The Beatles. This LP earned highly favorable critical response as well as huge commercial success, topping sales charts in Britain and the United States for several weeks. But that wasn’t a big surprise. This is the Beatles. And this is the Fab Four growing up. Indeed. 

       The album title derives from the colloquialism "plastic soul" and was the Beatles' way of admitting to lack of authenticity compared to the African-American soul artists they admired, so says Wiki. After “A Hard Day's Night” in 1964, it was the second Beatles LP to contain only original material.

       And so John, Paul, George, and Ringo started thinking, pondering, ruminating. What ensued: Sharp maturity in their lyricism, more spark and shimmer on guitar tones + sitar, harmonium, fuzz bass and definitely alluring instrumentation and arrangement. Pop, soul, folk, East Indian dalliances. This effort is more art than product. The earnest, depth and improvisational melodicism that carried onto “Revolver” (1966) and “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band” (1967). 

       My standout songs are John Lennon handiwork, though of course credited as Lennon/McCartney: “In My Life,” “Norwegian Wood,” and “It's Only Love.” But then, don’t you forget George Harrison’s “Think for Yourself” and Paul McCartney’s “Michelle” will always be for anybody’s Michelle. 🎼🎹🎼