Let It Be - THE BEATLES****

Two Of Us/Dig A Pony/Across The Universe/I Me Mine/Dig It/Let It Be/Maggie Mae/I've Got A Feeling/One After 909/The Long & Winding Road/For You Blue/Get Back

Let it Be was the final album release of new material from the Fab Four, although not their last recordings. Produced by Phil Spector, it gathered together the best of their leftover songs, a few of which don't quite match up to the group's high standard. Nevertheless, it includes quite a few gems including three US chart toppers, Get Back, The Long & Winding Road and the title track. (US:1 UK:1)

"Let It Be has always been the most undervalued album in the Beatles' catalogue. It was the Fab Four's attempt to record an album of all new material completely live, with no studio overdubs. But various problems throughout the project began to pull the band apart. In the end, The Beatles recorded a whole truckload of material, but were so soured by the experience that they couldn't bear facing the task of going through the tapes. So, it was up to legendary producer Phil Spector to cobble together an album from the troubled sessions."

"Three of the best songs ever recorded are to be found right here. Let It Be, The Long & Winding Road and Across The Universe. Get Back is also a Beatles classic. The rest of the album more than any other showcases the band's rock 'n' roll roots, but apart from the two short tracks, every track has a certain fond appeal."

"By normal standards, this is a brilliant album. By Beatles standards, this is a weak album, simply because they had recorded so many outstanding albums before they did this one. Nevertheless, there are some fine songs here."

"This album has been criticised more than any other original Beatles album, from the songs themselves to the over-production of Phil Spector. My advice: buy it yourself and listen to it. I think you will conclude that, while a bit thin in places, it is still a good collection of songs. And Spector's production, while rightly slammed as over-the-top on The Long & Winding Road, was pretty solid on the rest of the package."

"This album is somewhat problematic to review. It may possibly be the Beatles worst album, but it is still better than most rock groups best albums. It is sloppy and technically imperfect, but there are a lot of great songs here. It features three genuine classic hits; Let It Be, The Long & Winding Road and Get Back. The other songs are also good, with the possible exceptions of the tossed off jams, Dig It and Maggie May."