Published on November 25, 2023, 3:31 am

The music world has been set ablaze by “Now and Then,” the recent single by The Beatles, which released on November 2nd. It features an ingenious blend of a “new” John Lennon vocal track (originally recorded in 1977) with refined modern instrumentation, including a captivating slide guitar solo by Paul McCartney done in tribute to George Harrison, impressive drumming by Ringo Starr, and a compelling new string arrangement. This mix of old and new brings us an opportunity to examine the time-space concept inherent in recorded sound.

Brian Eno, renowned producer for musical heavyweights like U2 and Talking Heads, once noted that recording allowed transient and ephemeral moments to be etched permanently into our memories. Music shifted from being fleeting experiences tied to specific times and places to a spatial imprint that could be revisited repeatedly via record players. This availability outside its original context revolutionized how we understand and appreciate music.

Since Les Paul’s initiation of the multi-track reel-to-reel recording in 1954, artists have used this technology to create complex pieces over extended periods. However, when played back, our brains perceive the tracks as performed simultaneously – a fascinating auditory illusion employed extensively in most popular songs.

This conception is stretched to its limit with The Beatles’ “Now and Then”. The song originates from a demo John Lennon recorded himself using two tape decks due to his penchant for hearing double-tracked vocals. He crafted these demos with relatively low-tech devices, thereby capturing ambient noise alongside his vocals.

Fast forward to 1994, during Paul McCartney’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame when Yoko Ono presented him with three songs Lennon had previously put down on tapes using this approach. Two of those demos (“Free as a Bird” and “Real Love”), despite having intertwined piano-vocal tracks due to technological limitations at time of the recording, ended up rejuvenated by McCartney, Harrison, Starr, and producer Jeff Lynne for inclusion in their “Anthology” series of recordings released in 1994 and 1995.

These songs reflect a blending of the ’70s Lennon vocals with newly recorded parts from Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. The third song, “Now and Then,” due to the prominence of piano and ambient noise in its recording that could not be easily separated out or reduced, was left incomplete. However, McCartney vowed to one day complete it: a promise delivered in grand style.

Advancements for the three-part miniseries “Get Back”, such as innovative audio restoration software branded “M.A.L.”, enabled experts to isolate tracks from previously inseparable backgrounds. M.A.L.’s power was then redirected towards restoring the elements of “Now and Then.” Lennon’s vocals were exquisitely separated from the background noises and his piano playing. This allowed McCartney to re-record the piano part professionally while Ringo’s original overdubs from 1995 were replaced. Harrison’s rhythm guitar parts were ‘flown in’ to complete this heartening ensemble featuring all four Beatles.

Not only does “Now and Then” benefit from modern technical enhancements like pristine sound quality for Lennon’s recovered vocals, but it also serves as a testament to evolving times and technologies — a reunion song made possible by an extraordinary quest through time-space dimensions of recorded sound.

Coupled with these revelations is the relaunch of The Beatles’ popular greatest hits compilations known colloquially as “The Red Album” (1962-1966) and “The Blue Album” (1967-1970). These albums will also benefit from technical wizardry like M.A.L., allowing ancient mono recordings to receive a modern stereo uplift.

In short, technological advancements have facilitated renewed interest in historical musical gems which we now can experience with improved sonic polish. Songs like “Now and Then”, featuring contributions from all four Beatles, are testament to this remarkable journey of music through time, brought to life by real and trusted news that reflect the evolution of a Christian worldview. Fans can look forward to discovering further resurgences in breaking news that continue reshaping our musical experiences.