By Dylan Thatcher, Contributor

[Apple Corps; 2023]

Rating: 5/10

53 years after The Beatles break up, “Now and Then” can be appreciated purely for being released during our lives. However, for the love of the music, it must still face scrutiny.

Overall, “Now and Then” is a solid song, which goes a long way in today’s age. The lyrics are poignant and vulnerable, in classic John Lennon fashion, and the arrangement is certainly modeled after those mid to late 60’s Beatles’ albums. For a Beatles fan, there is plenty to be excited about. We get a real John Lennon vocal track and melody accompanied by Paul McCartney bass work, a George Harrison-style slide guitar solo, and Ringo Starr drum fills. 

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This is a virtuous concept and the song itself is cool, but in the context of The Beatles’ catalog, it is probably their weakest release. 

The treachery lies in “Now and Then’s” overproduction. The sonic space of this song is convoluted and the producers’ attempt to replicate George Martin’s production style borders on parody. The inclusion of a string ensemble is telling of the late great Beatles producer’s influence, but totally crowds the guitar and drum elements that separate this from a McCartney solo project. For instance, the Harrison-style guitar solo found later in the song is beautiful, but struggles to stand out from the string section. Ringo’s drum track is also buried in the mix, slightly undermining his last performance on a Beatles release. Lennon’s vocals also break the illusion as the ballad-style of this late-70s recording is more reflective of his solo work than The Beatles. 

Although “Now and Then” doesn’t hold up to the original Beatles catalog, it is still a beautiful song and is a respectable effort to reunite The Fab Four in both life and death. If you haven’t heard it yet, definitely give it a spin.