The cover is split along the bottom edge and has had sellotape applied to all edges (please see photos). Spine is no longer intact and is split. The vinyl looks like a car crash, but plays surprisingly well with the odd crackle here and there, especially on the quieter sections of Side 2 and towards the end of Side 1. No skips or jumps. Great listen though. Cleaned on a VPI Cyclone RCM.

VINYL: G+

LABEL: VG+

COVER: Poor

Side 1

1. I’ve just seen a face
2. Norwegian wood
3. You won’t see me
4. Think for yourself
5. The word
6. Michelle

Side 2

1. It’s only love
2. Girl
3. I’m looking through you
4. In my life
5. Wait
6. Run for your life

I think the interesting fact about listening to old Beatles LP’s is that there is always something new to hear. Top track for me on Side One is ‘The Word’. Yes ‘Michelle’ and ‘Norwegian Wood’ we’ve all heard a million times. But tracks like ‘The Word’ were to me where the artistry was. Ringo’s drumming on here just shows what a fine drummer he was/is and it’s a great track, but one I could not have recalled before listening to this again.

But I think with Rubber Soul, whereas you still get the value for money you got with earlier LP’s, you can hear they are moving on. Even with the sitar on Norwegian Wood, it was a kind of pre-cursor to their Indian dabbling a few years later.

You know what you will get with ‘The Beatles’ but I still feel, even after all this time, there are surprises. It still sounds fresh in a pure pop sort of way. And I challenge anyone to find anything better than ‘In my life’.