Beatles: Abbey Road

Abbey Road was the Beatles eleventh studio album and the last album the group recorded together. At this point moment in time, the Beatles have all but officially broken up. During the recording sessions the band incorporated a mix of styles, including rock, pop, blues, and progressive rock. They made significant use of the Moog synthesiser and guitar played through a Leslie speaker unit. They also blended tracks together to create a medley of songs on its second side.

Even though Abbey Road received mixed reviews from critics, it was a huge commercial success. Ironically, while some critics found its music inauthentic, today the album is viewed by many as one of the greatest albums of all time.

Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs (MOFI) released abbey road as one of their Original Master Recordings, utilizing original source tapes and a half speed mastering process to create an "audiophile" experience. Today, the release commands hundreds of dollars and is viewed by many as one of MOFI's better reissues from the era before a digital step was incorporated into their production process.

The pressing is bass strong with an expansive soundstage and elevated highs. As such, many familiar with MOFI's mastering process will recognize that the pressing falls victim to the notorious MOFI smiley face EQ, which can leave the mids lost between the booming base and screaming highs. Abbey Road is not nearly as bad as some MOFI releases, especially when compared to recent One-Step releases. Overall, the sound quality is very good and the vinyl fairly quiet. Giving credit where credit is due, MOFI had a great foundation to build from, as the 1969 UK original release is a phenomenal sounding pressing.

TRACK LIST
A1 Come Together
A2 Something
A3 Maxwell's Silver Hammer
A4 Oh! Darling
A5 Octopus's Garden
A6 I Want You (She's So Heavy)
B1 Here Comes The Sun
B2 Because
B3 You Never Give Me Your Money
B4 Sun King
B5 Mean Mr. Mustard
B6 Polythene Pam
B7 She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
B8 Golden Slumbers
B9 Carry That Weight
B10 The End
B11 Her Majesty

If you are looking for a great release of Abbey Road, the 1980 MOFI release is certainly a viable option, especially if you like big bass and elevated highs. However, if you're looking for a release that presents the album as it was originally intended, there are better options out there.  💵

💰 Invest
 💵 Consider
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