Yesterday: 16 Fab Beatle Reggae Classics (Trojan, 1995)

*GUEST REVIEW*
It's not that I dislike the Stones or Beatles, but I was born in an era that seems to overexpose sixties and seventies nostalgia. This includes the golden oldie radio shows and a never-ending list of TV programmes focusing on yesteryear. The Beatles wrote and performed classic pop music, and this album collects 16 reggae covers of the Fab Four. It is a mix of instrumentals, soul, fun, and mild wonkiness. Nothing on Yesterday is must-have reggae. Moreover, it's more of a dip in album for compilations or parties. "My Sweet Lord" and Holt's version of "Hey Jude" are potential highlights, but the instrumentals really go into muzak territory. Recently Trojan have released triple CDs of Beatles covers and Motown covers which suggests that they have vaults of cover versions ready to package to fifty pound man. My copy of Yesterday was picked up for pennies in the secondhand section, which seems to be a common place to recycle Trojan compilations.

- ragudave