The Beatles – With The Beatles (1963)

You might have heard of these lads from Liverpool; they were quite big in the 1960s, unlike me, who was quite small in Liverpool in the 1960s.

My nana and grandad lived just around the corner from the McCartney house in Forthlin Road, and my dad once claimed to have been round there in the very early 60s when an excited young Paul rushed across to my lovely Auntie Val, his sister, yelling "Val, Val, we're gonna be on the telly!"

Like in every 1960s family in south Liverpool, tales of family links to the fab four have been mythologised, but there's no doubt Val and Paul were acquainted. I'm not sure the chronology of my dad's tale works, but I'll share such tales over a pint whenever asked. I've previously spoken about having found it difficult to love the Beatles' music but in my dotage, I think it's important for me to listen properly. So, if it's in the charity shop, I'll snap it up.

This, their second album, is an album very much of its time. A young band, being allowed to record their own compositions, but bulked out with standards, and as you'd expect from any young band, the self compositions are of variable quality.

But up front and proud are the fantastic It Won't Be Long and All My Loving (which I'm surprised to discover was never released as a single in UK), and halfway through the second half, I Wanna Be Your Man (a hit for the Rolling Stones). There's little to get excited about among the rest of the original songs here, with the first George Harrison composition recorded, Don't Bother Me, giving no clue as to his future songwriting skills.

Of the covers, Please Mr Postman sounds particularly pedestrian, Roll Over Beethoven is as good a version of this overplayed rocker as you'll hear, and the closing song Money is a solid end to the album.

The album has a certain charm for its naïve lack of ambition, but there's enough from the stand out Lennon/McCartney songs to make it a worthwhile listen.

Link to album tracks

3* - This hasn't aged well, but gives enough glimpses of the greatness which will follow.