Rubber Soul was my first Beatles record. I think it's historical significance is that, to my understanding, this was one of a handful of records that actually was conceptualized as a rock album rather than just being a string of hits and b-sides. I do think it was a transitional record, echoing what came before it, but definitely sowing the seeds for what would be delivered on Revolver, which was the Beatles as a band's ultimate statement for me. When you throw in all the songs they did for Help!, which were very similar in tone to Rubber Soul, that whole 1965-66 period was just an amazing time for them.
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