This Anthology represents the Beatles beginning their experimental phase!

Like Anthology 1, this CD begins with a John Lennon solo song performed by John with additional music provided by Paul, George, and Ringo. Probably because this is a more complete song, the concept works a little better than on "Free as a Bird".

Beyond that, you get a grabbag of demos, alternative takes, and live tracks from 1965 to early 1968. "Yes It Is" begins the set. Interesting is some of the studio banter like in "I'm Down" (with Paul saying in a pseudo-American accent: "Let's hope this one turns out pretty darn good... Plastic soul, man!") and "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" (glass shatters and John mumbles: "Paul's broken a glass broke a glass Paul broke."). There are also never before released songs like "If You've Got Trouble", "That Means a Lot", and "12 Bar Original" (a fun jam in the mold of "Green Onions").

Live performances include television performances of "Yesterday" (with George introducing Paul) and "Help!", "Everybody's Got to Be My Baby" (from the legendary Shea Stadium concert) and "Rock & Roll Music" and "She's a Woman" (from their final 1966 tour). You can hear the Beatles slowly go through the motions in the end on stage as their studio recordings became more complex...

There are only a few outtakes from Rubber Soul, including the heavily sitar drenched "Norwegian Wood" and "...Looking Through You" in its early stage (with a hand clapping intro). The Revolver selections are more generous, with "Tomorrow Never Knows" (which even without all the tape effects sounds bizarre!), "Taxman" with the line "Anybody gotta bitta money" in place of "Uh uh Mr. Wilson... uh uh Mr. Heath", and a mellower slowed down take of "Got to Get You Into...". There are instrumental takes of "Eleanor Rigby" and "...Only Sleeping" (with a vibraphone). It's fun to hear Paul and John giggling while attempting to sing harmonies on "And Your Bird Can Sing"!

CD2 begins with an early demo of "Strawberry Fields", followed by an unused take, then the take which would begin the master we all know (played in its entirety) with Ringo's drum part at the end. "Penny Lane" features an oboe instead of a piccolo trumpet after the 2nd verse and features the closing horn riff which was previously only available on radio promo copies! "A Day In the Life" features John mumbling "sugar plumb fairy" and begins as a simple folk song up to its buildup (you can hear Mal Evans counting down the seconds until the alarm clock), then Paul goofs on the vocals and cusses, and it all concludes with the orchestral buildup. "Good Morning" sounds more rocking than the original. The instrumental take of "Within You Without You" sounds more ethereal than with George's vocals. You also get the complete stereo version of "You Know My Name...". The Magical Mystery Tour outtakes are interesting with Ringo playing a march beat on "Your Mother Should Know". "I Am the Walrus" and "Hello Goodbye" sound different without orchestration. The set concludes with "Lady Madonna" and one of the best takes of "Across the Universe".

Also recommended is the hard-to-find "Real Love" CD single with outtakes of "Yellow Submarine" (featuring a spoken intro by Ringo), "Here, There and Everywhere" and "Baby's In Black" (from a 1965 Hollywood Bowl performance).

As many other reviewers have stated, these CDs contain many demos and alternate versions of Beatles' songs. Among all of this material there is also some previously unreleased material which is very good. But this isn't just a matter of raiding the vaults to give Fab Four Junkies a fix; this material is a series of revelations about the band's most fertile period.

The live versions of 1965 material start the first disc off and then it moves to the more inventive songs from "Rubber Soul" and "Revolver." There are several very interesting alternate takes here, but the real excitement is on the second disc. Here one sees the evolution in sound during the making of "Sgt. Pepper," and it becomes very clear that the Beatles could have gone many different directions with their new songs. The "Magical Mystery Tour" material is first rate; unfortunately, many people have forgotten this over the past 30 years.

The absolute highlight of the collection for me is the sparse version of 'Across the Universe' that closes the second disc. It is light years better than the half-baked version that turned up on "Let it Be" three years later. "Anthology 2" shows the Beatles at the height of their powers, and in this it pleases Fab Four Fanatics or general music fans alike.

The Beatles need no introduction when it comes to the elite of Rock/Pop music. When trying to "rank" the greatest artists of the Rock/Pop era, there is no doubt that the quartet from England ranks number one on just about every list. Going even further, the Beatles might be the top act in the history of modern music - among any genre. Some quarter-century after their breakup, the Beatles began to consider their place in history. This impetus played a key role in the release of the three volume, "Beatles Anthology" CD set and corresponding television documentary. One of the main attractions of this project was that it would bring the three surviving Beatles together for the first time since the famous breakup. Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr would collaborate together on two unfinished John Lennon songs: "Free as a Bird" and "Real Love" - creating a "virtual" reunion among the four band members. This three volume set would not be an ordinary greatest hits collection - it would provide a historical retrospective to the band through rare and unreleased material. The second volume, "Beatles Anthology 2" covers the middle to late years of the Beatles from 1965 through 1968 - and shows some of their most creative material.

As mentioned, this CD serves as a historical retrospective to the band. The material is arranged in chronological order. One of the strengths of "Beatles Anthology Volume 1" was that there was material that was prefaced with spoken words by the likes of Lennon, McCartney, and Brian Epstein. These spoken words helped set the stage for the material to follow. Unfortunately, "Beatles Anthology 2" does not have any spoken words with the exception of some comments that are on the demo cuts. While the content of "Beatles Anthology 2" is still very good, I still think it falls a bit short when compared to Volume 1. One positive is that Volume 2 does contain an outstanding 46 page booklet that helps to supplement the listening experience. This collection should not be confused with a traditional "Greatest Hits Collection". Instead of studio cuts, this collection consists of outtakes, demos, and rarities that construct a terrific listening experience.

Here are 10 things to look for - in no particular order:

1) "Real Love" is a good song. When compared to the other "virtual reunion" song on Volume 1, "Free as a Bird", it is the better of the two cuts. "Real Love" features Lennon on lead vocals (unlike "Free as a Bird" that had also had vocals by McCartney and Harrison) Like "Free as a Bird", - it was produced by Harrison's "Wilbury" partner Jeff Lynne produced the song. I didn't think this song belonged as the first song, but given the fact that this doesn't fit in with the early material - I'm not sure where this should have been put.

2) Like Volume 1, George Martin does a masterful job at providing continuity and fusion to the collection. While he didn't actually produce "Real Love", he produced the Anthology series as a whole.

3) This collection does a better job at providing demo cuts than Volume 1. In particular it is very interesting to hear demo versions such as "Strawberry Fields Forever", "Yesterday", "The Fool on the Hill", "I'm Only Sleeping", and "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite"

4) The collection features four live cuts ("I Feel Fine", "Ticket to Ride", "Yesterday", and "Help!" that were recorded at the ABC Theatre in Blackpool for the British Television Show, "Blackpool Night Out". These live cuts are outstanding.

5) Volume 1 featured much more in the way of covers. On Volume 2 the majority of the cuts are original Beatles compositions with the exception of Carl Perkins' "Everybody Trying to Be My Baby" and Chuck Berry's "Rock and Roll Music".

6) There are three instrumentals worth noting: "Eleanor Rigby", "Within You Without You", and the unissued "12-Bar Original". "12 Bar Original" is highlighted by the Harmonium played by George Martin. However the instrumental version of "Eleanor Rigby" simply blew me away.

7) I didn't classify the version of "Got to Get You Into My Life" as a demo, but more like an alternate version. While not as strong or polished as the final version that was released, I still found this intriguing. There are alternate lyrics and "pauses".

8) Perhaps the most amazing thing about this collection is the Beatles transform from the early 1960 sound into their psychedelic era. The bluesy "12 Bar Original" and very psychedelic "Tomorrow Never Knows" are ordered back to back and show how dramatic a transformation that was.

9) The three cuts of "Strawberry Fields Forever" really demonstrate how the Beatles came to evolve what would be the final product. The demo starts out as a folksy version and you can hear how they evolve some more psychedelic elements into the arrangements on the second two cuts.

10) While some of the material on this version is unfinished or interrupted by spoken words, it is what adds to the charm of the collection. I heard a disc-jockey in "New York" so impressed with this collection as he said "...and this is the junk!" It's amazing how stuff that didn't make it through editing could sound so good, but in this case it works.

Overall, this is one terrific collection. I've heard that this collection is not geared toward the novice fan, but I think anyone with an interest in modern music history will appreciate this collection. This collection is best listened to when you listen to it from start to finish. I wish more groups would follow this formula for producing retrospectives. Be sure to follow along and read the liner notes that are included - they are as good as you can get. Despite the lack of the "Spoken Word Intros" that were on Volume 1, this is still an outstanding collection. Highly recommended.

The mid 90s saw the Beatles release a trilogy of anthology albums, containing demos, out-takes, live performances and "new songs."

Whether or not the anthology series is recommended depends on where you are coming from. If you are a casual fan and/or just own a few Beatle albums, you are better off completing your collection before you pick up these three compilations. That said, if you already own all thirteen studio albums, as well as the two "Past Master" (1988) collections, the anthology series is definitely the next step.

"Anthology 2" (1996) opens up with "Real Love," a demo that John Lennon recorded sometime in the late 70s. At the time of the compiling of the material to be used for the three anthologies, Ringo, Paul and George then added music. While the consensus seems to be that "Real Love" and "Free as a Bird" (from 1995's "Anthology One") are not up to par with vintage Beatles, I would have to disagree, at least with the general opinion of "Real Love." In a word, "Real Love" is phenomenal. Lennon's voice sounds at a distance, almost as though he were singing through the grave. Lennon's haunting vocals over the beautifully written song and orchestration are mesmerizing. The song demonstrates Lennon's pop-craft mastery, showing that he was every bit as gifted as McCartney in this regard. Harrison's totally signature solo makes "Real Love" sound like vintage Beatles. All in all, "Real Love" is a truly underrated number. While I rate this compilation four stars, "Real Love" alone deserves six.

Another gem from "Anthology 2" is the outstanding Ringo number "If You've Got Trouble," (Lennon/McCartney) which was recorded for "Help!" but wound up being replaced by the good, but far inferior "Act Naturally."

The rest of "Anthology 2" focuses mainly on the Beatles mid-point era, circa "Rubber Soul" (1965) through "Magical Mystery Tour" (1967). The focus mainly concerns alterative versions and outtakes of well-known, classic songs. While the casual fan is definitely better off starting with the studio versions first, for long-time fans, especially those that have heard these songs for forty or so years, it's cool to hear these classics as works-in-progress. Even if the demos obviously aren't as good as the finished product, it's fascinating to hear the songs in their infancy. Some of these demos take a different path then what wound up as the finished product, like the sitar-led Norwegian Wood" or the sparse "Across the Universe." As you hear the demos get more and more complex, starting with the "Revolver" (1966) sessions, it's like being behind the scenes, watching Bruce Banner turn into the Incredible Hulk. A couple of live songs from the Beatles final tour in 1966 are thrown in for good measure and make a rare treat.

In a nutshell, if you are just a causal fan, stick with collecting the Beatles studio albums first. If you already own all the Beatles studio albums, however, the anthology series is well worth checking out.

To the casual fan, take note: this is not a collection of finished recordings. It is outtakes, demos, etc. That said, the "Anthology" collections are any Beatlefan's dream, offering fascinating examples of the Beatles at work in the studio, along with important historical outtakes and concert recordings, all in a manner that most bootlegs cannot: namely, with excellent sound quality and documentation (the latter by the great Beatles archivist Mark Lewisohn. Thus, even when a track has occasionally been manipulated for more accessible listening, such as the shortening of "Twelve Bar Original" or the editing together of various takes of "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds", we are undeceived and clearly told what was done by the excellent liner notes.) I enjoy all of the Anthologies, but to me, "Anthology 2" is the most revealing and important, covering as it does the period of their most daring innovations. I will highlight a few of the most important tracks here, and why they may be of interest for fans. First off, "Real Love," one of the two "new" Beatles tracks from 1995, is a good song and, I think, a moving one. The living Beatles have done a good job producing this upbeat track. Some may complain that it was done at all, but personally I think it's a fun record that in no way diminishes the group's past, since we all know it isn't really part of their canon. "If You've Got Trouble" and "That Means a Lot" are two essential releases, formerly available only in bootleg form. These songs aren't quite up to regular Beatles snuff, and you can see why they were left in the can at the time (1965), but they are a must for any serious collector. This live version of "Everybody's Trying to Be my Baby" gives you a good idea what the chaos was like at the famous Shea Stadium concert. This version of "Norwegian Wood" is a stunning track - complete, yet heavier and different from the finished version. Same deal with "I'm Looking Through You," one of the great outtakes of all time. "12 Bar Original" is a fabled track, clearly a fond pet project of all 4 Beatles in the fall of 1965. "Tomorrow Never Knows" take one is a mind-blowing piece of sound, but in a very different way than the finished track is. "I'm Only Sleeping" (rehearsal) gives you another good idea of the experimental nature of the "Revolver" sessions. "And Your Bird Can Sing" is a superb piece of rock playing, and this very different version has some good guitar sounds and, since John and Paul are cracking up with laughter the whole time, is trememdous fun. The live recordings from 1966 showcase what an anachronism touring had become for the band, playing oldies with poor sound quality while making such leaps in their records. On disc two, we trace the long evolution of "Strawberry Fields Forever." Diehard fans may wish the disc had included the backing vocals that were later added to take one, and the completed re-make version from which the second half was used in the finished product, but heck, I guess they couldn't use up the whole disc on this one song. "A Day in the Life" is another famous work-in-progress version, and it will give you chills. (I wish they had included the original "humming" ending chord, but oh well. Read all about most of these things in Lewisohn's excellent books.) "Good Morning Good Morning" showcases the fine drumming and wonderful backing track that underlies the song, with its odd meters and great energy. "You Know My Name" includes the verse that was left on the cutting room floor until now. "Your Mother Should Know" and "The Fool on the Hill" are very different from their finished recordings, in both cases with a heavier feel. "Across the Universe" is a fabulous, gorgeous recording of a beautiful song, lighter and quite different from the other versions we know. Well, what can I say. Discover for yourself the creative fun of the Beatles at work!