In honor of the return of Beatle-mania with the release of Beatles Rock Band and the digital release of the Beatles catalogue this week, I decided to discuss one of the greatest albums in music history. No, I don’t mean “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” I’m talking about “Revolver,” the album that officially separated the Beatles from the rest.

What’s unique about this album is that it is here that the Beatles really start to experiment in the studio – searching for different sounds and ways to express themselves fully. It’s hard to imagine that the Beatles were still a “pop” band at this point, as their music was stepping through doors other bands wouldn’t dare step through. Paul McCartney’s aggressive guitar solo in “Taxman” acts as example of what the Beatles were feeling – that they weren’t to fit the teeny-bopper mold anymore. It’s aggressive and fearless, which is something that shows in the main riff of “And Your Bird Can Sing” and Starrr’s relentless drumming in “She Said She Said.” Of course, the Beatles did not lose their knack for creating beautiful ballads like “Here, There, Everywhere” and “For No One.” Yet, there’s still that fearless instrumental experimentation present that makes this album legendary, whether it’s Lennon’s backwards guitar solo in the dreamy “I’m Only Sleeping” or the brass section of “Got to Get You into My Life.”

The high point in the album contains only one chord, and it is Lennon’s brilliant mantra “Tomorrow Never Knows.” This song is as profound as it is groundbreaking; you can really hear Lennon coming into his own and reaching deep inside. It is powerful and breathtaking, which is what could be said about the rest of the album as well.