How does any musician or group follow up an album that changed the face of pop culture?

Whether by design or fault, after Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band – a concept album adorned by a colourful montage of celebrities, historical and political figures, and jam-packed with songs that caused it to be described as the most important and influential rock/pop album ever recorded – The Beatles released a double album with a plain white sleeve and a slew of songs that completely lacked cohesion.

Sleeve design notwithstanding (it was the first time the group had not appeared on one of their album covers) the album is a dog’s dinner – always has been, and always will be, despite some woolly-headed critics proclaiming its status as one of the best albums ever made.

This 50th Anniversary seven-disc box set reissue will be a boon to Beatles bores, of course, but once you sensibly skip past the mediocre (including Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, Piggies, Don't Pass Me By, Rocky Raccoon, and the patience-sapping Revolution 9) there are gems to be found (Blackbird, Julia, Dear Prudence, I'm So Tired, While My Guitar Gently Weeps).

Fab? Not fab.