It's here!

Well, it has finally been released. "This Bird Has Flown: A 40th Anniversary Tribute To The Beatles' Rubber Soul" was officially released in stores today. As such, I feel it would be appropriate for me to publish my full review of the album.

The Beatles are quite possibly the most influential band of all time. They octuple-handedly engineered rock as we know it. Though they may have started as sellouts with their nauseating pop tunes, they eventually used their affluence to spread their genius later in life. One such album, "Rubber Soul", changed the face of music forever. Just four months after the release of their multi-platinum album "Help!", "Rubber Soul" sold 1.9 million copies within its first nine days of release. So it comes as no surprise that music artists everywhere would jump on the prospect of doing anything to pay tribute to the band that facilitated the rise of rock. This has its upsides and downfalls as every band, good and bad, want to do their part. On "This Bird Has Flown", you'll get the full spectrum: from the good bands, to the ones that make you want to cry, you'll get it all.

Drive My Car - The Donnas - The other night, I saw The Donnas on SNL, but I didn't think they were anything special. Though Drive My Car does nothing to disprove my assumption, it does prove that they are damn fine musicians with an almost exact replica of the Beatles version. It does have a little taste of The Donnas though with an accentuated drum line, a little more punch to the lyrics, and I do have to admit that the harmonies do sound quite interesting with female voices.

This Bird Has Flown (Norwegian Wood) - The Fiery Furnaces - Alright, I'll try to hold my tongue on this one. It was an attempt to pay a tribute to the Beatles. In my opinion, a horrible, disfiguring attempt, but an attempt, nonetheless. I admire them for their effort, though not for their rendition. I has the traditional sound of the Fiery Furnaces, which is a weird experimental sort of sound. I'm sure that many people like that kind of music, but it's not for me, and it's definitely not for Beatles music.

You Won't See Me - Dar Williams - Another faithful replication here, though it does add a very nice country feel. Say what you will about country, but it has its moments, and this is one of them. The subtle twangly guitars in the background is a very nice touch. All in all, a great rendition of a Beatles classic.

Nowhere Man - Low - When I saw that Low was performing Nowhere Man, I didn't know what to expect. Perhaps I am not as well versed in Low as I should be, but this is not what I was expecting from them at all. It's basically a very stripped down version of Nowhere Man. It's nice, but it leaves a big hole where the third harmony and backup vocals should be. If this were the first time I'd ever heard Nowhere Man, I'm sure I would like it, but since I know what its potential is, I don't feel I can truly appreciate it.

Think For Yourself - Yonder Mountain String Band - Wow. These guys set out to do a tribute, and boy did they do it. It sounds exactly the same as the Beatles version. It has the same guitar distortion, the same vocal parts, their voices even sound like The Beatles. The only difference may be the almost-imperceptible guitar embellishments. I do like it, but I think I'd rather listen to the real Beatles if they're going to play that close to the original version.

The Word - Mindy Smith - Now this is a tribute. It's got the original's music, but it's been totally Mindy Smithified. Overall an incredible piece, and an superb rendition.

Michelle - Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals - A reggae Michelle?? Who woulda thunk? The first time I heard this song, I was quite incredulous, but after hearing it all the way through, it definitely grew on me. It's not what one would expect, but Michelle does make a good reggae song. Ben Harper should learn to pronounce "Sont des mots qui vont très bien" though.

What Goes On - Sufjan Stevens - Uhh... I guess this is What Goes On. Sufjan totally scrapped what The Beatles worked so tirelessly for, keeping only the lyrics. This is definitely Sufjan though, he basically took the lyrics and wrote his own song around them. Not bad I say, but not really a tribute, more of an attempted improvement, and that's not really what I was looking for when I purchased this album.

Girl - Rhett Miller - A good cover by Rhett Miller. It's pleasant because he turned into a pleasant headbopping song even though the lyrics are fairly dark. Very enjoyable, even if it's lost the trademark backwards fffffff of the original.

I'm Looking Through You - Ted Leo - Yes. Very Ted Leo. To tell the truth, this is exactly what I expected. It's good in a way, because Ted Leo has a very enjoyable music style, but I always like suprises.

In My Life - Ben Lee - Sounds like he's performing a talent show. You can even hear the amp buzz in the background. Again, very stripped down (though it seems to have violins, jangly things, some weird howling noise, and somethinreminiscentnt of the piano solo), sounds like it's lacking something. Hopefully the crowd likes him.

Wait - Ben Kweller feat Albert Hammond Jr. - This song is crafted very well, one of Kyle's favorites. It's got the original vocal and guitar lines, but it has a wonderful updated rhythm update, and a little slice of Ben Kweller. I do say, his voice suits The Beatles quite well.

If I Needed Someone - Nellie McKay - This song was very poorly crafted, maybe the day before the deadline. It doesn't sound like much time was spent on it. It's a lounge tune. It's got the lyrics, mostly spoken, a bass riff of arpegiated chords, and some weird piano, nothing special at all.

Run For Your Life - Cowboy Junkies - I hate it when albums end on a bad note, and this is about as bad as it gets. This track is the only track on the album in which the artist had the gall to alter the lyrics. It's not even a meaningful change either. They changed the song from being about a jealous lover to a song about "how girls are better than boys". It's atrocious! They ruined the rhythm and rhyme of the lyrics, just for their own stupid agenda. Just for this one infraction, I don't believe I will ever bother with The Cowboy Junkies ever again.

Well, there you have it. I hate to end on such a sour note. However, the album is a wonderful gesture, and overall, it's a pretty good disc, I'd say a must for the indie fan who wants to get back to his roots.

This Bird Has Flown