Coming through the other side of Rubber Soul things got progressively more, well…progressive for The Beatles. Moving further into different instrumentation and more complex arrangements, Revolver stands as one of the definitive statements in rock and roll history.

We could do this with practically every album, but Side One of Revolver is just ridiculous in terms of incredible songs.  It also highlights the MVP of the album, as two of the first four (three for the US release) tracks are Harrison numbers.  “Taxman” is a ripping rock riff straight out the gate, and though the lyrics point to the band’s specific ire toward their tax situation, it’s just as biting today. “Love You To” brings back the sitar for a psychedelic thumping number that points to future sound swirls the band would incorporate in their next full throttle transformation starting with Sgt. Pepper a year later.

Add to that classics like “Eleanor Rigby,” “And Your Bird Can Sing” as well as the powerhouse closer “Tomorrow Never Knows” and you have yourself something special.  Since getting back from vacation I’ve been listening to Revolver non-stop and little things keep catching me: how fun it is to sing along to “Good Day Sunshine;” the beautiful arrangement of “For No One,” and how the lyrics sting more than I remember.

Just another classic album start to finish.