Across The Universe [Deluxe Edition] Reviews

• Excellent Beatles interpretations

  
  By A16MJQLJDFO4M6 on 2007-10-29
  Interscope Records has released three variations of soundtrack albums from the film - a standard edition and two deluxe editions. The standard edition contains 16 tracks from the film soundtrack. The first version of the deluxe edition features 31 tracks - all of the vocal performances and one of the three instrumental tracks. This 31-track version is available solely at the Best Buy retail chain and in a digital version via iTunes. A second version of the deluxe edition is available at other retail outlets. The second version differs from the 31-track version in that it omits two tracks: "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" and "Why Don't We Do It In The Road?". The total time for these two missing tracks is 5 minutes.
  
  If you can get the 31-track version without a lot of hassle, then do so, even though the singer of the 2 songs, Dana Fuchs, isn't considered a particularly good singer or actor and the two missing songs aren't highlights. I see no point in buying the 16-song single CD version when for $2 more you get more than 54 minutes of extra music.
  
  The 29-track version is excellent and worth the money. Virtually every song is done in a manner very different from the original by the Beatles and yet it is very enjoyable and tasteful. Great, innovative cover versions, an amazing feat.
  
  A final comment. Interscope Records is to be disdained for releasing 2 different Deluxe versions and causing both buyers and sellers a lot of needless decision making problems. Obviously Best Buys made some marketing arrangement with Interscope Records but it won't generate enough extra cash to compensate for all of the bad PR and angst that this will generate.
  
  
  
  

• Great soundtrack, but...

  
  By A1ISXB65YCE91C on 2007-10-23
  The original Deluxe Edition released to iTunes and Best Buy contained 31 tracks over 2 CDs. The Deluxe Edition sold here and now available at other retailers only includes 29 tracks over 2 CDs. "Why Don't We Do it in the Road?" and "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" are missing.
  
  I don't know why this is, but take it into account before ordering. The soundtrack deserves 5 stars, but the unexplained removal of tracks cuts it to a 3.
  
  

• Go to Best Buy and get the 31 song version

  
  By A3AVJCB1ZD6ZY5 on 2007-10-25
  This edition is 29 songs long. I found another version with 31 songs at Best Buy. The two missing songs here are: "Why Don't We Do it in the Road?" and "I Want You (She's So Heavy)"
  
  Otherwise, this is a great album. The original cast voices Evan Rachel Woods, Jim Sturgess, etc. are excellent, plus we get guest shots from Joe Cocker (Come Together), Bono (I am the Walrus, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds) and Eddie Izzard (Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite).
  
  Probably my top two of this collection is Joe Cocker's rough voice on "Come Together" and the excellent surprise of Martin Luther McCoy's voice on "While my Guitar Gently Weeps."
  
  I strongly recommend the movie and this soundtrack is one of my favorites as well.
  
  

• Disappointing

  
  By A1V21VMZLJ7HOR on 2007-11-26
  I generally like tribute albums of this sort, and though this is technically not a tribute album I will lump it into that category. First of all, Bono of all people doesn't deserve to be singing Beatles music. His performances of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds and I am the Walrus have a very sterile/pompous air about them. And I'm sorry, I doubt there is a human being alive that could do justice to the song Blackbird, other than Paul McCartney himself. The re-interpretations of these songs by the various performers are, in my opinion, definitely lacking with the exception of a few tracks, namely Joe Cocker's Come Together and Eddie Izzard on Mr. Kite. Most of these performers seem to have ignored or forgotten that the Beatles sang Rock & Roll. If I wanted to hear some downtempo Beatles music I would rather play one of their albums in reverse in search of some backmasking as opposed to listening to this drivel.
  
  

• Dreadful

  
  By A1PCMWTMKY5320 on 2007-10-24
  This is like a 'Beatles-Lite' album. The soundtrack in the movie completely butchered some incredible songs. I was horribly disappointed being a huge Beatles fan and a fan of Julie Taymor.
  
  
• Sort of conflicted
  By AC2BBXBNRBV3M on 2008-02-15
  So, I thought that the reason I loved the film so much more than any of my friends was due to the fact that although I love & admire the songs of the Beatles, I wasn't married to their recordings of the songs.
  The reason I'm kind of disappointed with this soundtrack, oddly enough, is because I became so completely attached to the film versions. Hardly anyone has mentioned in their reviews that these aren't the same versions of the songs you hear in the film. The arrangements differ A LOT.
  *"Hold Me Tight" is sung solely by Evan Rachel Woods- the vocal of "Jude's" Liverpool girlfriend? Not there.
  *"A Little Help From My Friends" has been reduced to a duet between Joe Anderson & Jim Sturgess, lacking the rambunctiousness of the other guys in the scene.
  *At the end of "It Won't Be Long", the tempo never slows down- remember how all of the students are waiting for the clock to chime 3?
  ...you get the idea. I really felt like these were some unique moments that added charm to the songs. Without them, despite still being enjoyable, they sometimes seem a little flat. Of course, people have already mentioned the missing songs- "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" was a favorite of mine!
  As much as I like the cd, I can't help but feel a little disappointed. I wish I'd have known before I bought it. Not that I wouldn't still buy it.
  
  
• Across The Generations
  By A1T9MILRRZ00F8 on 2007-12-29
  I grew up with The Beatles and consider them the greatest pop/rock band. I also consider Lennon and McCartney the greatest composers of the 20th century, who were also blessed with fine voices and perfect harmony. So, when my daughter saw this movie and strongly recommended the soundtrack, I was very skeptical. I thought to myself: "Why is there yet another attempt to cover The Beatles' songs; with few exceptions, the results are abysmal."
  
  But when I listened to these songs, reinterpreted by these talented singers, I was really impressed. Especially noteworthy are Jim Sturgess and Martin Luther McCoy; they are gifted performers. What struck me the most, however, was that all of these singers took on our generation's sacred songs (our zeitgeist) and succeeded in giving these songs vibrancy and new meaning.
  
  Highlights:
  
  "Girl"--Beautifully sung, but I wish he was allowed to finish the song.
  
  "All My Loving"-- Again, Sturgess gets it right with all the youthful exuberance this song requires.
  
  "Let It Be"--Fantastic! McCartney always intended this to by a church hymn, and I have heard gospel renditions by Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles, but the choir here is superb and makes this my favorite version of the song to date.
  
  "Come Together"--I forget who told Joe Cocker that he was the only white man with soul, but this song showcases his talents. He brings a soulful, bluesy feeling to this song.
  
  "I Am The Walrus"--While I still prefer Lennon's psychedelic, stream of consciousness in your face version, taking aim at his overzealous song critics, Bono is able to convey this anger with great success. Bono is wonderfully manic.
  
  "Strawberry Fields Forever"--I never thought that I would hear a better version of Lennon's defining moment of introspection and self-doubt, but Sturgess captures this mood effectively, in a haunting and mesmerizing way.
  
  "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"--This is worth the price of admission alone. McCoy even betters George Harrison (in "The "White Album" version with the hard-rocking Clapton backing and in "The Anthology" version with Harrison alone with his acoustic guitar.) McCoy starts out quiet and breathless and by the end wrings every emotion out of this song. His range and voice remind me of Seal's. This is my favorite song on the album.
  
  "Across The Universe"--Sturgess takes a wordy, but extremely poetic Lennon song and does not stumble over the words, which is so easy to do. He is able to get at the core of the song and discover its purity. However, unlike Lennon, Sturgess sings defiantly and transforms the song into an anthem.
  
  Shortcomings:
  
  "Hold Me Tight"--This is the fault of the director and producer and not the performer. Lennon has admitted that this song was "filler" and far from his best. In this album, it is forgettable.
  
  "Blue Jay Way"--Again, poor song choice. This is one of the worst songs by Harrison and on the "Magical Mystery Tour" album. It has no purpose other than droning on and on; it is no better on this album.
  
  "Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite"--I prefer the original. Lennon is so much better than Izzard.
  
  "Because"--This rendition is not bad; it's just not close to the original. The Beatles knew that they were breaking up on "Abbey Road," and they gave the performance of a lifetime on the album. It is reported that they painstakingly recorded many takes of this song to get the phrasing, harmony and pitch perfect. Listen to the version on "The Anthology" or "Love," since it is a cappella. It features McCartney taking the high part, Harrison the middle, and Lennon taking the bottom. Their lush three-part harmony is so tight and perfect, that it is difficult to tell who is singing what part. Their version has never been equalled.
  
  "Revolution"--This is the only song sung by Sturgess that doesn't work for me. The original song is angry Lennon at his best, with distorted guitars augmenting his strident singing. Sturgess' version is too light and benign and seems misplaced.
  
  "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds"--In this song, Bono is banal. It's an average performance of a great song.
  
  In sum, this is a wonderful album. The singers deserve credit for taking on the daunting task of The Beatles' canon and making it work, and more importantly, reinterpreting it so that it succeeds on its own merit. The fact that my daughter, who considers The Beatles "so last century," loves this album, and the fact that her die-hard Beatles' fan father loves it too, should speak volumes.
  
  
• Oh Brother Where Art Thou?
  By A30A5I8FG82M2E on 2008-04-24
  I've heard a lot of Beatles covers throughout my life, dear friends. For the record, I am not among those who claim the only good Beatles songs are the one performed by the Beatles themselves. Many artists have delivered the goods when covering the mighty Beatles. It is a daunting task, to say the least.
  
  This soundtrack has some real poopy versions, no doubt because some of them are sung by the original cast. Evan Rachel Wood is the unholiest of offenders. I liked hearing a cover of "Hold Me Tight", an early Beatles song that is rarely performed by others. But I think she positively made mince meat of the others she sang - especially "If I Fell".
  
  In fact, dear followers, the presence of the titan Joe Cocker (himself responsible for arguably the only Beatles cover to actually out-do the original: "With a Little Help From My Friends") on a moody, atmospheric "Come Together" save this from the lowliest of all ratings. Hey, I call 'em like I see 'em, like it or lump it.
  
  That phoney crusader Bono manages to strangle two Beatles' classics. Go back to U2, I say! And I'm sure most of you (well, those with a modicum of intelligence) will agree.
  
  
• Amazing. . .
  By AG58865PJEKPP on 2007-10-23
  Like the movie, this soundtrack was beautiful. However, I was dissapointed when I realized that the soundtrack is missing some of the best songs like "I Want You(She's so Heavy)" and "Why Don't We Do it in the Road?." If you're a true Beatles fan you'll be happy with it anyways.
  
  
• Great for Movie Fans
  By A39EF4H2L1F9F4 on 2007-10-21
  If you loved this film and it moved you, it's well worth having the soundtrack. I like the new interpretations of the song, as they remind me of the feelings in the film. Hearing the songs in a genre blender is fun and creative. It is worth the extra money to have the Deluxe Edition, the songs painted a delicious picture in my mind, and I like revisiting all of them in my mind for a little extra money.
  
  I will say that if you are a die hard Beatles fan, you may be happy that a movie of this concept was created, but you may also be upset that the original songs were not used. I say that this soundtrack is a wonderful and moving interpretation and tribute to the power that went into these songs originally.
  
  Get this album if the film moved you and you liked the music, not just because it's the Beatles. A magical film, and what comes from it is a magical soundtrack.
  
  
• Highway robbery by the female vocalists makes this special
  By A9VD20X239FSR on 2008-01-10
  Oh sure, anyone can do a Beatles cover--but how many of them are really done well? (The criminally underrated "I Am Sam" soundtrack is a good example of how to do it properly, as is Siouxsie and the Banshees' delicious "Dear Prudence.") Without Julie Taymor's fantasmagorical film images to propel the story, and without the actors' faces (in loving close-up) to buttress the songs, you've basically just got another bunch of Beatles covers of ranging quality. Fortunately, Taymor chose well. Jim Sturgess handles the bulk of the material competently, and occasionally movingly, especially the opening track "Girl"; Joe Anderson fares a little less well, though in all fairness he doesn't have the best material--"With A Little Help from My Friends" and "Happiness Is A Warm Gun" could give anyone a run for their money. Joe Cocker and Bono are...well, Joe Cocker and Bono, and thus very pleasurable in this context. Only one male track is a clinker: Eddie Izzard's hopelessly affected "For The Benefit of Mr. Kite," which finds him chewing whatever scenery he could get his mouth around between and during lyrics. (When you have a song that bizarre, underplaying is probably a safer bet.) But it's the female vocalists--suprise!--who really make this Magical Mystery Tour fly. T.V. Carpio offers a lovely, yearning "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" that takes the lyrics in a completely different direction--you may miss the original's swaggering drive, but you won't soon forget this take, either. Dana Fuchs manages to sound like Janis Joplin without ever sounding like a bad rip-off of Janis Joplin, and her incandescent work on "Helter Skelter" might melt your speakers. Last but never, ever least, Evan Rachel Wood wraps her honeyed tones around several tracks and completely owns them. Some fans may remember Wood's exquisite performance of "When the Red Red Robin" from "Once and Again," but here she taps into something delicate and melancholy that bruises your heart. "Hold Me Tight" and "It Won't Be Long" are sexy, throaty pleasures, but no vocal track all year in any musical rivals her caressing the lyrics to "If I Fell"--it's never been so poignant, so haunted, so fragile. Please, Hollywood, please Broadway, please anyone--give this girl a spotlight, a microphone, and the dazzling career she so richly deserves.
  
  
• Excellent, but a few annoying things.
  By A3MHZMU0K3X6Q7 on 2008-02-15
  I'm largely happy with this disk, although a few things have been bothering me, and make me hope for a revised release.
  First, the exclusion of the versions of I Want You and Why Don't We....
  Second, Hold Me Tight has two versions in the movie. I'd like both.
  Third, With A Little Help From My Friends has been made much more dull in this version.
  Fourth, Hey Jude has vocal parts removed (when Max calls out near the end in the movie)
  Fifth, and most important to me, during All You Need Is Love, the line "she loves you yeah, yeah, yeah has been eliminated. This is inexcusable. The line is in the original, and is so incredibly important to making the song complete.
  
  I seriously hope they release an updated version at some point.
  
  Update: I've noticed another serious annoyance. The album version of I've Just Seen A Face is completely different from the film version. The film version has an acoustic rhythm guitar part, an accordion, and a very different solo. The album version has an electric rhythm guitar part, no accordion, and the solo is played on a Hammond organ-sounding instrument.
  
  I wish I knew who to petition to get the film versions of these songs.
  
  
• Thanks to the movie - I started to like these oldies but goldies.
  By A70YGMFQTPYEC on 2008-02-22
  I missed all of Beatles era almost completely, because of I was not even born yet. In my time: PF, LZ, UH, DP and ... were my heroes.
  I had a Beatles album when I was a kid, but it never rang a bell for me. It sounded to me like a school band.
  After watching a movie, for the first time in my entire live I was moved to buy an Audio CD with the songs. Thanks for these new young voices, modern and alternative interpretation - I actually was able to truly enjoy timeless Beatles songs for the first time in my live.
  Beatles fans may still think there is nothing better than Beatles themselves. The songs are great, but original Beatles recordings are dated. Fortunately there are other options now. I think more young people would enjoy Beatles song when every song is matched near perfect with an artist capable to make the best of it. I think this movie and this CD is the best so far. My kids love it.
  
  
  
• Horrible!!!
  By AWJNGZRAAUJ4O on 2008-03-10
  The worst sound mix ever!!! Have to crank virtually all the lower end (bass) out to enable this CD to be playable. Absolutely loved the DVD but hate this CD - Perhaps I shouldn't have got the "deluxe" version
  
  
• Great CD but missing a couple things
  By A9QXVJYKCFPNH on 2008-05-06
  I first saw this movie in April of 2008 (not sure how I missed it when it was in the theater), and was blown away by it. I love all the renditions of classic Beatles' songs. The soundtrack, like the movie, evokes such a range of emotions and stands out in the mind as one of those movies you'll never forget (and like an album that keeps getting better with each listen). It instantly became one of my top ten favorites. If you're a child of the 60's, this will be a very enjoyable trip down memory lane as you revisit some great songs with an updated flair that does primo justice to the original songs while still making them palatable to a younger audience. Brilliantly composed and arranged! Two thumbs up and five stars for the arrangement and quality of presentation!
  
  The album is sequenced in virtually the same order as the songs appear in the film (which I was very happy to see), with the exception of "Flying", which (in the movie) appears in the final credits. This CD is also missing two great songs from the film; "I want You (She's So Heavy)" and "Why Don't We Do It In The Road". This is partly why the soundtrack earned a 4 star review from me instead of 5.
  
  Apparently there is a 31 song version of this album out there so I would advise looking for that if you want the complete soundtrack. "I Want You" was (arguably) one of the most memorable songs from the film and I can't fathom why they would leave it off the deluxe edition.
  
  My only other minor disappointment with the soundtrack (also leading to my 4 star review) is the fact that some of the vocals are a little different from the movie versions, which is a slight disappointment. For example, on "Hey Jude", (though the album version is extremely close to the movie version) I loved the harmony part of Jude's mother in the film, but on the soundtrack she is not there and her part is replaced by - I think it's - Jim Sturgess' voice. It still sounds awesome (as Jim's voice is definitely cool), but I wish they had kept it in total harmony with the film. The guy playing the garbage cans is also absent from the track (not a big disappointment there, but if you're looking for a direct likeness to the film, just note that it's missing). Also, on "I Want You", the soundtrack misses the strong part of the soldiers singing along with their synchronized marching steps, which was so dramatic in the film. Without it, the song comes across as much softer on the CD. BUMMER! I really missed that in the album version (almost made me want to record it directly off the DVD). Instead of the soldier's singing, it appears to be Dana Fuchs (Sadie) harmonizing the part. Again, still sounds really cool (as I love Dana's powerful voice), but I still wish the movie version was there instead (and not to worry... T.V. Carpio's part is still there as it should be).
  
  Aside from these minor drawbacks, the soundtrack is solid and definitely one of my new favorites. I love Bono's performances of "Lucy in the Sky" and "I Am The Walrus". The vocal sounds of the cast singing "Because" even top the Beatles in my opinion. It's beautiful! "I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends" also blows the Beatles' version away in my opinion. "Strawberry Fields Forever" follows the original quite well and sounds great. In fact, all of these songs are excellent arrangements, dare I say BETTER than the originals that they were inspired from - but some will certainly argue that point with me. I dug the originals but I love these new versions. The updated versions do not deviate from the original melodies and virtually all of the familiar components of the songs are there with only some slight modifications to the background arrangements. Whether your a Beatles fan or not, this is a great CD! There's enough solid likeness to the original songs for fans of those originals, but for those of a younger generation who are perhaps unfamiliar with them these are definitely pleasing to the ear and will keep those classics alive for years to come!
  
  GREAT CD!!! Worth purchasing, though my only advice is to try and find the 31 song edition with "I Want You" and "Why Don't We Do It In The Road". Be advised, this Amazon-sold edition is missing those two great sounding songs.
  
  
• Better than the original (mostly)
  By AFP1M1J3OKLV3 on 2008-05-08
  I had first picked up the regular soundtrack not realizing that my favorite songs from the movie were not on there. I'd have to say I'm glad I bought this. This album has every song from the film on it and each song is better than the last. I love the beatles and I love their songs but I have to say Jim Sturgess sure did give the Beatles a run for their money. I think it's definitely better than the original and that's saying a lot coming from an avid beatles fan. I would definitely recommend this product to anyone who loves the beatles or saw this film and loved it as well.
  
  
• For a new generation of fans
  By A2QKJCQMACNIAC on 2007-10-31
  This soundtrack is a fantastic, modern interpretation for a new generation of fans. My best friend and I weren't Beatles fans before watching Across the Universe, but we were after. We LOVED the movie and the music - so much so that in addition to this album, I got 2 other Beatles albums. I know alot of old-school fans were displeased by the film, but it really is a tribute to the Beatles that only further enhances their legacy and longevity. I was especially impressed by the performance of Evan Rachel Wood, who I've watched since Once and Again. Who knew she had such a soulful voice, as evidenced on Blackbird? Timothy Mitchum on Let It Be is another standout on an album full of wonderful performances. This is the best soundtrack I've heard in a long time.
  
  
• Marvelous Music!
  By A2NFL6R2CM1F6Y on 2007-11-01
  What a wonderful film! But, to the soundtrack: The 31 Beatles songs on the Best Buy version of the soundtrack are heartfelt and nicely sung. But what particularly impresses me are the instrumental backings provided by the musicians (courtesy T-Bone Burnett?) --- not radical re-workings, but subtle and luminous, nonetheless. They will make you marvel anew at the undimmed brilliance of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.
  
  
• Not the same as the movie!
  By A31DANKPMUN7TU on 2007-11-16
  Having been entranced by the movie and being a big Beatles fan, I was really looking forward to getting the soundtrack. Well - it wasn't as expected, rather dissapointing really. Many songs were a different version than what was recorded and used in the movie - most notably "With a little help from my friends". The CD has only "Max" & "Jude" singing rather than the fun, infectious version of the movie. On top of that, the CD didn't include two songs from the movie!
  I waited a little longer to be able to get the two-disc special edition soundtrack and am disappointed at not getting what I really wanted. Question: if I just got the regular version, paid less & waited less, would it have been any better?
  
  
• Very good, but you might not like how....
  By A3L753EAJUYWHR on 2007-11-25
  these versions differ from the actual ones used in the film. The vocals were all filmed live, so there are many songs here that dont' match up to what you see in the film exactly. Most significant is Dear Prudence, which has a totally different rhythm than the version in the film.
  
  BUT...aside from being a little disappointed at the absence of Paul's bouncy, walking bass line in All My Lovin', I really enjoyed these renditions of these great songs. I do tend to be a bit of a Beatles Purist, and don't like anyone messing with the perfection the Fab Four achieved, but I just loved this film. Besides totally falling in love with Jim Sturgess, who also eerily reminded me of an ex, I enjoyed Julie Taymor's vision, imagery and symbolism. She did a fabulous job showing the chaos of the times, and how the Beatles' music reflected what was going on then, and how their music changed as the times changed, from the stripped down innocence of Hold Me Tight and It Won't Be Long, to the complexity and the layers of Strawberry Fields Forever, Helter Skelter and the song that inspired the title, the plaintive chorus, "Nothing's gonna change my world" playing while Max's stunned, glazed over eyes survey the carnage in Viet Nam, realizing all their worlds have been irrepairably changed forever. You hear a great deal more in these songs after seeing the movie, and the soundtrack recalls that.
  
  The soundtrack brings back the best parts of the movie, and does put a very fresh and refreshing spin on, while paying homage to, this great music.
  
  
• fine two CD set
  By A2R6RA8FRBS608 on 2007-12-29
  Across The Universe is the two CD soundtrack from the movie of the same name. Unfortunately, just as other reviewers noted, there is more than just one edition of this soundtrack. There's the single CD edition which I advise against because for just a couple bucks more you can buy either the 29 song version or the 31 song version on two CDs. Best Buy has the 31 song version and although the two extra tracks aren't a huge difference I personally like to get as much as I can for my money.
  
  The songs on this two CD set are excellent interpretations of famous numbers by The Beatles. Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess, Joe Anderson and Dana Fuchs perform most of the numbers; and there are awesome contributions by Bono (on "I'm The Walrus") and Joe Cocker (on "Come Together"). Listen also for Eddie Izzard singing "Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite."
  
  The quality of the sound is quite good; and I am particularly impressed with Jim Sturgess whose voice conveys just the right amount of passion and vulnerability that can make a movie character real. I really like T.V. Carpio as she sings "I Wanna Hold Your Hand," too.
  
  The liner notes come in the form of a booklet with great artwork from the film, which, as of this writing, is soon to be released on DVD.
  
  Overall, this is excellent music throughout and the interpretations of the classic hits by The Beatles leave nothing to be desired. I highly recommend this two CD set for soundtrack aficionados and people who enjoy alternate versions of The Beatles' greatest hits.
  
  
  
• Very disappointing
  By A3T7WGG4NI8V7D on 2008-01-02
  Well intended with some good moments, but mind numbing when taken as a whole. I can't tell you how disappointed I was with this project in general. Don't waste your time getting the whole CD....listen to some samples, download a few hilites and be done with it.
  
  
• In my opinion remaking a Beatles song is a sin!
  By A2HOEX60MLZFT5 on 2008-02-18
  The pompous moron who calls himself Bono is the last person who should be remaking Beatles songs. Bono has always compared his inept, politically motivated band, U2 to the Beatles. That alone should have disqualified him as a candidate on this album. If U2 were going to be the next Beatles they missed their window back in the Eighties! The Beatles did it in 7 Years; U2 has had 28 years to do it! Compare the two bands total Number 1 singles. U2, 4 UK and 2 US Billboard Hot 100. Yet the Beatles have released a 79 minute album called Beatles 1. The Beatles 1 album contains 27 Number One Hits from a band that released their first studio album in 1963, Please Please Me, and their last studio album in 1970, Let it be. The Beatles had 7 years total time releasing original studio recorded music!
  
  If they really wanted to give us a treat on this soundtrack they should have included the U2 DVD/CD Rattle and Hum rendition of Helter-Skelter were Bono stated "This song Charles Manson stole from the Beatles, now were steeling it back". Bono "singing" Helter-Skelter sounds incredibly unprofessional, he can't seem to get the timing or the lyrics right. Check it out if you get a chance it is ridiculous!
  
  In my opinion remaking a Beatles song is a sin!
  
  Do yourself a favor and buy an actual Beatles album and not this nonsense!
  
  
  
• Unbearable blasphemy
  By A2JQA4V2EWMKA8 on 2008-03-09
  True Beatles fans (like me), who know their catalog like the back of their hand will absolutely abhor this CD. The film itself was not in the least designed for meaningful content that does justice to The Beatles or their music, but to use the medium of film to manipulate the best music of all time to make millions of dollars, which it has certainly done.
  Furthermore, the covers were absolutely horrid! I watched the film with a group of people, and the music was so embarrassing to me that I honestly blushed through the entire thing. In addition to being completely lacking in quality or imagination, they were taken completely out of context. By transfixing The Beatles' music with certain images and events, it attempts to define the songs and/or demonstrate a clear-cut interpretation of them, which is wholly unwarranted. For example, Strawberry Fields Forever is about growing up and developing an identity, not the frustration of some artist who just happens to be working with strawberries. Note: When Bono sang "I am the Walrus," part of me died inside.
  In short, this CD is supreme blasphemy to The Beatles, their music, and their fans, and is only designed to greedily take advantage of the best music of all time for the purpose of making a ton of money. One can see from reading the other reviews that those who are ignorant of The Beatles are the ones who like it. Get real. You need to listen to this CD like you need to experience death by audio stimulation (or lack thereof).
  
  P.S. To appreciate this film you must be ignorant about The Beatles and their music. To those who profess to be fans, that's impossible.
  
  
• plenty of heart, no blood
  By A34Q31ZXYI4262 on 2008-03-04
  If you have any kind of love for the music of the Beatles, don't waste your time or money here. These songs really need the cinematic experience to give them a life and vitality of their own. Without that, they're simply pale, idolizing shadows. Notable exceptions are Jim's opening track, Girl, and Bono's Walrus. Unfortunately, Girl is more of a tease. Just as it draws you in with its sheer beauty, it drops you like a dead weight in the middle of the song. Walrus is definitely U2, but in a good way. Bono just drips gold. If only his Lucy were as good as this. Get the digital download of Bono's Walrus and spin it till you die.
  
  
• A wonderful compliment to the original songs.
  By A3D9H9RG9F55X2 on 2008-03-12
  I saw this movie and although the movie was predictable, the music was wonderfullly done. I ordered the CD soundtrack before I was finished watching the movie! I LOVE THIS SOUNDTRACK! It is a lovely tribute to the original songs, but does not take anything away from the originals. The songs on this CD give me the wonderful feeings that I get from listening to the originals, but they also give me a feeling like I'm listening to something new. I can not say enough about this CD, except that I highly recommend that any Beatle lover give this a listen. I recommend that you give this CD a listen even if you don't like the Beatles! Like I said, it's got that compliment thing going as well as a new feel.
  It's got an extra emotion, soul and 'edge' that I really love in music. Even my young children are liking this CD.
  
  
• Across The Universe Soundtrack Is Awesome
  By A25VLM403P1XWA on 2008-03-15
  Across The Universe is the best soundtrack and most real version of anything that I have heard to date, The actors and actresses express clear respect for the Beatles music and express utter awe for its power,
  I hightly recommend that Beatles enthusiasts pick up a copy of this cd,
  
  
• Extremely disappointed
  By A4XNRAN3PWKQQ on 2008-03-25
  After falling in love with the movie, I was anticipating a great soundtrack CD. I was wrong. Whoever did the sound mixing did a terrible job! It's so bad that it is distorted on several songs! The singers sound flat, as if this were a test run. Listen to the song "Dear Prudence"... they don't even come in on cue! (In the movie they do). I highly recommend the movie, and I'm sending the CD back!
  
  
• Love, Love, Love this CD
  By A3Q7JGCH9JO0A4 on 2008-04-19
  I saw the movie and had to buy this CD directly after! The music is infectious and will stay in your head long after you turn the CD player off. This is the best cover album I have ever listened to. Jim Sturgess is amazing and can rival Paul McCartney's vocals any day of the week. Great value for a 2 CD-set!!
  
  
• Amazing renditions!
  By A1TRWC0YIS6MVW on 2008-04-27
  The singers and musicians really made the music theirs, but still kept with ideas The Beatles would do. There were a few songs I didn't like ("Hold Me Tight", "I Want to Hold Your Hand", and "It Won't Be Long") but everything else I adored. It was interesting to hear some soulful renditions of the songs. I was surprised and found that I liked one song better than The Beatles' original! Joe Anderson absolutely nailed "Happiness is a Warm Gun" - yes, he even topped The Beatles, and that is not something I say lightly. All around it was excellent! I highly recommend it!
  
  

• Across the Universe (Two-Disc Special Edition)
• Juno
• August Rush: Music From The Motion Picture
• Across the Universe
• Once: Music from the Motion Picture