Beatles' 'Rubber Soul' Super Deluxe set released, reviewed and back at No 1
An expanded 'Rubber Soul: Special Edition Super Deluxe' reached stores on Friday 2 October. Variety reviews it as essential, while the Daily Mail reports the album returning to No 1 on the Official Albums Chart.
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The story, neutrally told
Left · 1The Beatles' 1965 album 'Rubber Soul' has been reissued as 'Rubber Soul: Special Edition Super Deluxe', a five-LP or four-CD boxed set that Variety's review says reached the world on Friday. VarietyLC “a five-LP or four-CD set that finally reached the world Friday after many years of fans’ wishing and hoping” Read at Variety ↗ Left · 1According to Variety, the set has four components: a new stereo remix of the UK album by Giles Martin and Sam Okell, a collection of studio outtakes, the UK track list in mono, and the American version in stereo. VarietyLC “the requisite fresh stereo remix of the U.K. album from Giles Martin and Sam Okell; a collection of studio outtakes; the U.K. track list in mono, revisited; and the American version in stereo” Read at Variety ↗ Left · 1The vinyl box also includes the double-A-side single 'Day Tripper'/'We Can Work It Out' as a 7-inch, and a hardback book with annotation on the album's songs. VarietyLC “the double-A-side single “Day Tripper”/”We Can Work It Out” (included as a 7-inch single in the vinyl boxed set)”“the hardback coffee table book that offers a wealth of annotation on every one of these 18 songs” Read at Variety ↗
Left · 1Reviewer Chris Willman of Variety describes the remix as essential and a spectacular upgrade, and says the outtakes, though not revelatory, are a pleasure to hear. VarietyLC “it’s difficult to imagine there being very many souls out there who will not regard this as a spectacular upgrade”“none of it completely revelatory, all of it a pleasure to listen to” Read at Variety ↗ Mixed · 2The outtakes include a John Lennon demo of a song called 'Little Girl', which Variety says surfaced only recently, and which the Daily Mail also highlights. VarietyLC “a couple of minutes of a John Lennon demo of “Little Girl,”” Read at Variety ↗ Daily MailR “John Lennon's previously unheard demo titled Little Girl” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2The two outlets count the extra material differently: Variety cites 26 unreleased scraps, while the Daily Mail says 24 early session recordings, 20 of them previously unreleased, plus three previously unheard home demos. VarietyLC “the cutting-room-floor section, which has 26 unreleased scraps” Read at Variety ↗ Daily MailR “re-released with 24 early session recordings, which includes 20 previously unreleased takes” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Right · 1The Daily Mail reports that the Official Charts showed the album bouncing back to No 1 on the Album Charts, but that it faces competition for the top spot from Blossoms' 'Songs From The Wedding Cake', with Johnny Marr's 'The Age Of Everything' in third. Daily MailR “Last night, the Official Charts revealed the record had bounced back to No1 in the Album Charts.”“it faces competition from achieving the top spot this Friday from English indie rock band Blossoms” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Right · 1The Daily Mail adds that a No 1 would be the first such return since Abbey Road rebounded in October 2019, and that the Beatles have 15 albums spanning 176 weeks on the Official Albums Chart, the most of any act. Daily MailR “it would be the first time since October 2019, when Abbey Road rebounded back to the top”“The Beatles have the most records on the Official Albums Charts, with 15 albums spanning 176 weeks.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Right · 1The Daily Mail also places the release alongside Sam Mendes's four-part Beatles biopic, with Paul Mescal, Barry Keoghan, Joseph Quinn and Harris Dickinson, due in 2028. Daily MailR “All four films are due to be released simultaneously in 2028.” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Variety runs a long critical review, led by the question of whether 'Rubber Soul' is the Beatles' best album, and judges the boxed set 'super essential'.
- Emphasis
- Sound of the new remix, the outtakes, the UK versus US track lists, and the album's musical character.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention chart performance or the Mendes biopic.
- Charged language
- “Super Essential”“spectacular upgrade”“masterpiece”
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- The Daily Mail runs a short news item on the chart return of the album, with a playful 'Get back!' headline.
- Emphasis
- Chart position and competition from Blossoms and Johnny Marr, track record, and the Sam Mendes biopic.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not review the remix or the box's formats, and gives no price or format details.
- Charged language
- “Fab Four”“coveted slot”
- For example
-
“Get back! Fab Four's Rubber Soul to be No 1... 61 years later” — Daily Mail
“Should The Beatles secure the coveted slot” — Daily Mail
What every side reports
- Rubber Soul was originally released in December 1965.
- The new expanded edition includes previously unreleased studio material and a John Lennon demo of 'Little Girl'.
- Early versions of 'Day Tripper' and 'We Can Work It Out' feature in the expanded material.
Where accounts differ
-
How much unreleased material the set contains
- Left
- Variety counts 26 unreleased scraps in the outtakes section.
- Right
- The Daily Mail counts 24 early session recordings, 20 previously unreleased, plus three home demos.
Rubber Soul other
Variety treats the reissue as a definitive, essential edition of the album. The Daily Mail presents it as a chart comeback.
““Rubber Soul” is undoubtedly among the most influential albums ever released” — Variety
“looks set to dominate the charts once again” — Daily Mail
The Beatles organisation
The coverage presents the Beatles through the reissue and its archival material, and the Daily Mail adds their chart record and the upcoming biopic.
“The Beatles have the most records on the Official Albums Charts” — Daily Mail
North America1 outlet
Variety gives an in-depth critical appraisal of the music and the box's contents.
“the requisite fresh stereo remix of the U.K. album from Giles Martin and Sam Okell” — Variety
Variety
UK and Ireland1 outlet
The Daily Mail concentrates on the UK Official Albums Chart and rival British acts.
“Last night, the Official Charts revealed the record had bounced back to No1 in the Album Charts.” — Daily Mail
Daily Mail
Left1 article
-
VarietyLC · · Opinion
Celebratory Enthusiastic critic's review that praises the remix and outtakes and calls the set essential, while noting that streaming offers the music cheaply.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
-
Get back! Fab Four's Rubber Soul to be No 1... 61 years later
Celebratory Brief chart-focused news piece framing the reissue as a nostalgic No 1 comeback.
- 4 Oct 23:56 First VarietyLC Is ‘Rubber Soul’ the Beatles’ Best Album? The Answer to That is as Malleable as the Shifting Track Lists, but This ‘Super Deluxe’ Is Super Essential: Boxed Set Review Opinion
- 6 Oct 00:14 +24h 18m Daily MailR Get back! Fab Four's Rubber Soul to be No 1... 61 years later
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.