“Anthology 4,” the sequel to the original Beatles Anthology trilogy, was released on Friday, Nov. 21, along with an accompanying remastering of the original 1990s documentary on Disney+.
The compilation includes 13 previously unreleased tracks, ranging from early versions of fan favorites like “I Saw Her Standing There” to instrumental tracks of cult classic deep cuts like “Hey Bulldog.”
“I Saw Her Standing There (Take 2)” reprises its role as an album opener and offers a faithful recording of the original release, albeit understandably sloppier. “Money (That’s What I Want) [RM7 Version]” removes the piano from the official release to make room for the ripping guitars.
One of the most unique parts of the Anthology series is the studio chatter left in the recordings. Much in the same vein as the “Get Back” series released in 2021 on Disney+, it gives a behind-the-scenes of how the band got along with each other inside the studio. “Anthology 4” may be an even better representation due to it being the first in the series to span the entirety of the band’s lifespan.
This aspect of the album comes through on “This Boy (Takes 12 And 13).” Not only do you get Paul McCartney teasing John Lennon at the beginning, but both takes fall apart into laughter as the band struggles to get through a full take.
This humor carries over into “Tell Me Why (Takes 4 And 5),” along with George Harrison discussing the actual composition of the song and what notes to play. The band immediately proceeded to mess up the harmonies they were just discussing.
“If I Fell (Take 11)” is the first that offers something musically unique compared to the released version. The track opens with Lennon playing a rhythmic pattern on the acoustic guitar by slapping the strings instead of the strumming found on the official release. The recording as a whole is more rhythmically interesting than the official release, which sacrifices some of that percussion for a softer tone appropriate for the lyrical content.
“Matchbox (Take 1)” is pretty close to the actual release but is less produced, especially Ringo Starr’s vocals.
“Every Little Thing (Takes 6 and 7)” is essentially a rehearsal of the song. It’s missing Lennon’s acoustic guitar intro, Starr’s timpani overdubs and George Harrison’s fantastic electric guitar harmonies. It is an unfinished version of a song that already feels underproduced on “Beatles for Sale,” and the most musically interesting component is McCartney burping halfway through Take 6.
The same unfinished feel is present on “I Need You (Take 1),” but in a way it benefits the song due to the lack of a volume pedal which makes the original feel experimental but a bit overwhelming compared to the rest of the instrumentation. The rest of the band cracking Harrison up at the end is a fun moment.
Released on Nov. 15 as part of four-song promotional extended play (EP) for the album, “I’ve Just Seen A Face (Take 3)” is very close to the official recording but is still interesting to hear.
“In My Life (Take 1),” also released as part of the EP, is so similar to the actual release that at one point I forgot I wasn’t listening to “Rubber Soul.” The only thing really missing from the original recording is producer George Martin’s sped-up piano solo.
Stripped of the majority of the vocal harmonies that the song is known for, “Nowhere Man (First Version — Take 2)” serves as a showcase for Harrison beautiful lead guitar work and the interaction between Starr and McCartney in the rhythm section.
After four previously released tracks, the new releases continue with “Baby, You’re a Rich Man (Takes 11 And 12).” Aside from some great studio chatter that includes Lennon asking assistant Mal Evans to bring the band some Cokes and cannabis, the track settles into what essentially became the original release, if not a bit choppy.
“All You Need Is Love (Rehearsal For BBC Broadcast)” is an outlier on the compilation. A rehearsal for the first multinational broadcast in history, it features a voiceover prior to the song talking about the rehearsal before getting into the music. Much like the original, the end features adlibbed noises and references by the band.
“The Fool On The Hill (Take 5 – Instrumental)” and “I Am The Walrus (Take 19 – Strings, Brass, Clarinet Overdub)” don’t offer much in the way of new material, but are both great breakdowns of the innerworkings of two iconic “Magical Mystery Tour” tracks. The exception is a glistening piano run at the end of the former.
“Hey Bulldog (Take 4 – Instrumental),” is the last completely new recording on the compilation and, like the last two, is most notable for giving a look at backing track from a classic Beatles rocker.
“Real Love (2025 Mix)” and “Free As A Bird (2025 Mix)” have received a mixed response for its usage of AI to bring out more of Lennon’s voice from the original demo recordings. Both were released as part of the original Anthology trilogy and are remixed with this technology for “Anthology 4.” While the controversial idea of altering Lennon’s vocals is fair to debate, the artistic merit of improving some of the final recordings of one of Rock’s icons can be understood and appreciated. The usage of AI is effective, and the quality of recordings benefits from the choice.
This is an album made specifically for those who are already Beatles fans, and dedicated fans at that. Nothing here is groundbreaking, especially with other tracks still left unheard (“Carnival of Light”). Still, the compilation spans every album of The Beatles’ career, leaving something new for every fan.
Rating: 3.6/5 Stars
Lennon’s vocals were not altered. What the “AI” does is remove the other noise on the recording so that his vocals are easier to hear. Ifyou were already OK with the other Beatles adding to this track of Lennon’s and calling it a Beatles song, this last step really shouldn’t bother you at all.