Beatles US Apple Records manager, Ken Mansfield wrote WindWallMusic that he really enjoyed The About CD and even picked his favorite track from that album. His favorite---"I Recall" and it's not hard to guess why he happened to pick that particular song ,having known , worked with and spent personal time with the Beatles.
Beatles Fans Unite's president, Maureen Lowry, did two consecutive write-ups on The About in her fanzine. Mo, as she likes to be called, wrote of being blown away with the About's CD and it's likeness to the Fab Four, and has also put the About's link on her site. Maureen's enthusiasm, compliments, and kindness have been most appreciated. Maureen is a walking encyclopedia of Beatles trivia, so if you have any Beatles questions check out her site and ask Mo.
Pat Matthews of Beatles-A-Rama ( a 24/7 world-wide Beatles and oldies internet radio station with twenty some million hits a month) wrote that he thought the About's music was great and was pleased to add three of the songs to his air-play mix.
Donnie "G" of Beatlesbrunch.com, a Beatles' favorite site, welcomed The About with many compliments and added them to their sound clips page. Donnie commented that he had received many many CD's over the years, and that he was astounded at the songwriting and arrangements on The About album. He stated that there were several songs on the CD that could be used by top artists in various musical genres. " A must hear CD for Beatles fans."
Beatles Unlimited of the Netherlands, probably the longest running Beatles fan club in the world, and established by Beatles manager Brian Eppstein in the early sixties, put a link on their site for the About.
Dave Haber, of "What Goes On", a very popular Beatles news, blog, and collectors dream site, posted a write up on The About, and placed their link on the site.
Beatlefans.com,a Beatles site with everything Beatles, from music to videos to books and magazines,lyrics, guitar tabs,photo's and links to other Beatle sites, placed an ad with The About's link on the front page of their site.
Fab4Radio's, Matt Beatle has added The About's album, and commercial to his very popular and informative, world-wide internet radio network, and sent his own congrats to The About for the great scores received from the Fab4Radio Beatle fans.
Dennis Mitchell, of "Breakfast With The Beatles" (the most listened-to and widely syndicated "Breakfast With The Beatles" program in the world), has heard the album, and commented that the CD was nicely done, and definitely very heartfelt and "Beatle-y". With copy on hand, Dennis emailed of a potential future "Odd Track Out" presentation.
Beatle links, a Beatles internet site with links to 68 other Beatles sites, and host of Beatles forums, and Beatles and Beatles related products, put an ad for The About's debut album on their site under Beatles for sale.
Steve "Big Daddy BluzHarp" Harvell, of the blues lover's Bluzharp.Tripod.com Review, gave the "Iter Itineris" CD a 6 out of 7 score, and compared the artists to the Beatles as a point of reference for any curious listener not familiar with The About. Steve went on to say that the album sounded like what The Beatles might have recorded today, had they stayed together. The blues man highly reccommended The About's CD as music that makes you think and feel good at the same time, and as a piece of work that stands on it's own, with it's great musicianship and songwriting, inspite of the fact that the vocals sound "just like John Lennon".
Ze Lennon of the Brazilian Beatles Fan Club congratulated The About on their debut album, and has requested CD's and DVD's for the fans there. Lennon replied after hearing the album, that the songs were beautiful, and gave them the impression of hearing a new Beatles album, so if you love the Beatles, considering that all of these fans also love the Beatles, and love the About, perhaps this CD is for YOU!
This first About CD (the CD itself sounds much better than the sound clips), has been tested on the street and in the music industry , and the response has been very good. It is not uncommon for some listeners to ask which Beatle's album these songs appeared on, having never heard them before. Still others not as familiar with the Fab Four call it great alternative music or pop, or rock, or underground. Call it what you will, most recognize it as the Beatles. There's no wonder, as there are cuts on this album that sound for the world like John Lennon singing lead with Paul McCartney on harmony vocal. Other songs sound like Paul on lead with John and George on backing vocals. The track "When Messiah Comes" seems to showcase George Harrison on lead vocal and even features what could easily be mistaken for his signature slide guitar. On "Tommorow Today" even Ringo appears to be taking the microphone. There are songs like "I Recall" where John and Paul seem to be answering each other on lead vocal. Other songs like "option #1,582" would cause most listeners familiar with the most sucessful band of all time to say it's Lennon and McCartney belting out the chorus and Harrison taking the lead vocal on the middle eight. "Self" features a beautiful three-part harmony mirroring the Fab Four's own haunting blend of vocal perfection.
In addition to the vocal talent here, you can close your eyes and picture John and George on guitars,Ringo with his steady beat on drums, and even the Big Mac laying down some melodic bass on his Hoffner. Julian Lennon sounded a lot like his dad, John Lennon, and Pete Ham of Badfinger sounded like Paul McCartney, but I don't know of any band doing original material that can come as close to John, Paul, George, and Ringo both vocally and instrumentally as the About has done on this, their first album.
Then there are the arrangements and those killer songs. The arrangements are so true to the Beatle/George Martin format that you may wonder if the album was produced at Abbey Road. The songs themselves vary from rockers, like "Mesmerized" and "Option #1,582", to ballads like "Self", "As I Do Now", and "Daystar". Some of the tracks are piano- oriented, while others are guitar driven. There's an Irish flavor to "As I Do Now", a Jewish tone to "When Messiah Comes", and a smidgen of funk and blues to "Living In The Liberty". "Tommorrow Today" is old country, and then there are the beautiful classical string arrangements on numbers like "Trip Divine", "Breath", "I Recall", and "As I Do Now".
If you are a Beatles fan and have often wished that there could have been just one more Beatles album , or if you simply enjoy good melodies and great lyrics, this CD will certainly bring a smile to your face and a sigh of appreciation. So finish your chores, sit back, take a deep breath, close your eyes, and prepare for a musical journey--Enjoy!
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