George Harrison - All Things Must Pass [BOXED EDITION]
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Free Music Notes for All Things Must Pass [BOXED EDITION]
Free Music Review: Thank You George, Thank You Capital/EMI!
Hit: 5 Stars
Finally...All Things Must Pass remastered. We've waited so long. There are few albums more worthy than this one. Why, you ask?First, it contains Harrison's strongest, most focussed songwriting. The final year and a half of Beatledom for George was both very good and very bad. Certainly, he was extremely frustrated with his role in the Beatles. he was feeling overshadowed by the egos and songwriting of Lennon & McCartney, feeling stifled by McCartney and George Martin in the studio and pissed at Lennon for numerous reasons. George dealt with it all by working with other musicians and expressing himself by writing songs that expressed his philosophical/spiritual beliefs.
It would be the greatest group of songs he would ever write.
He would assemble the greatest core of musicians he ever assembled.
He would hire Phil Spector to bring it all together.
He would make, by far, his grandest and greatest album.
From one point of view, the album is flawless. Certainly, the songs never lag, and the musicians always deliver inspired performances. George is in fine voice, and Spector knew how to use that somewhat limited voice to fine effect. However, the wall of sound is, at best, a matter of taste. In my opinion, the brilliance of What is Life is somewhat obscured by the famous "wall", and Wah-Wah is all but buried in it. A part of me can't help but wish that Harrison would have given in to tempation and remixed it. I know he was worried about changing the "sound" of a classic, but I point to Lennon's 'Imagine' as an example of a remix that sharpens, but does not dramatically change the sound. Of course, on that album, Spector stays away from the infamous "wall" except for the pedestrian I Don't Want to Be a Soldier Mama. But, on that song, I can actually hear all the instruments with some definition for the first time. The same could have been done with a remix of ATMP.
OK, so I got that out of my system. I am still thrilled to have this release. Derek & the Dominoes play like their lives depended on it. The extra tracks are worthy; particulary Let It Down, which is just flat beautiful. And, no matter what folks say here, do not overlook the jams. There are some inspired moments, and, as jams go, really keep your interest.
Essential listening.
Free Music Review: ALL THINGS MUST PASS (but George Harrison's spiritual rock triple album is still a classic)
Hit: 5 Stars
George Harrison's All Things Must Pass (1970) was the second triple album ever to reach the No.1 spot on the U.S. charts (Woodstock was first, and Wings Over America was the third in 1976). It's a rock classic, and it includes many of George's most spiritual songs, including, of course, My Sweet Lord.
The album's texture and mood is sincere, sacred, and immaculate. Phil Spector's "wall of sound" production helps to create that mood, giving the album an intensity and reverence that is most often found in a House of Worship.
Other songs on the album, like Apple Scruffs, If Not for You, and the wonderful outtake, I Live For You, all have an English country music sound that features pedal steel guitar, harmonica, and acoustic slide guitar. All of these are real treats, and add to the album's variety.
On the spiritual side, My Sweet Lord, Hear Me Lord, The Art Of Dying and Awaiting On You All are direct in their meaning of finding, knowing and loving God. Others, like All Things Must Pass, Isn't It A Pity and Beware Of Darkness, are also spiritual, but in a worldly, more practical way.
All of these songs are very good, all are thought provoking, and George sounds great on every one of them. His excellent guitar playing is highlighted throughout (by the time George joined The Beatles, he was one of the hottest young guitar players in Liverpool), and his passionate search for knowing God more intimately seems genuine and pure.
The album includes electric guitar fueled straight ahead rock n' roll, acoustic guitar based folk-rock music, and ballads with orchestration.
There's an all-star jam session that includes Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, Billy Preston and Dave Mason, among others, and although pretty good, it's really just a curiosity.
There are some extra tracks included, and some are very good. The afore mentioned I Live For You, and an unplugged and passionate Let It Down are the best of these, but My Sweet Lord (2000) and an unplugged Beware Of Darkness are also very good.
All Things Must Pass is a wise and spiritually uplifting musical experience, a rock classic that belongs in every music collection, and it's George Harrison's very best album. And ya gotta love that colorized album cover!
Free Music Review: George shows them all...
Hit: 5 Stars
Right after the Beatles broke up, George went ahead and did the unthinkable. He put out an album that made him the first of the solo Beatles to become a superstar. And he did it in his first shot. Many Beatle fans state that this album is perhaps the best solo Beatle album ever made, next to John Lennon's debut album. And I would agree with them. The songwriting and the performances are bigger than life, and they leave you breathless after each listen.
Phil Spector's production is very obvious throughout the album. He also shows how sensitive he is to ballads, while letting the bigger numbers explode with drama and climatic landscapes as he only can with his "wall of sound". Although, I would agree with George's hesitation to want to "remix" the entire album, it would be interesting to hear how it would sound without all the reverb.
The bonus tracks are pretty decent on the album. "I Live For You" is a great song that I think would have worked on the album back in its original release. But then again, this remix of the song (and recent touchups), is the version that George intended to put out. And I'm glad he did. It would have been a nice little song that the world wouldn't have known about...until now. The demos of the other songs are nice, especially to see where the creative process comes from as far as the arrangements. And the new version of My Sweet Lord (2000), while not eclipsing the intensity of the original, does showcase more of his magical slide guitar. Although his voice may be frail at points, and it sounds like he's singing his heart out even more when he gets to the high bits (unfortunate, due to his bours with cancer and the stabbing), it gives the performance much more passion and emotion that his vocal didn't really have on the original.
Of course, who could forget the instrumental jams. Some people may want to, others don't care one way or the other. But the jams are just there basically to showcase how much fun the guys had together in the studio...as if the normal album wasn't enough evidence.
Overall, it's a wonderful tour-de-force that really showcases the great songwriting of the Quiet Beatle. If anything, it kind of makes you wonder...Why didn't they let more of his songs on those Beatle albums, anyway?
Free Music Review: All Good Things Must See The Light of Day Again
Hit: 5 Stars
This is an old treasure I hadn't listed to for years. Now that I have it on CD I find myself playing it over and over. As others have commented, this is George's best work. Indeed, I'd say all of the songs here (excepting the new outtakes and the jams) match anything he's put on a Beatles album. they certainly would have been worthy as Beatles songs. Unfortunately, it's probably true, as George has said, the band didn't spend has much time on his songs as they did on those of his oh-so-brilliant mates, Lennon and McCartney. But with All Things Must Pass, considerable effort was spent on making the songs; and it shows.The songs are melodious, sincere and unpretentious. There's a sense of honest expression here but, unlike with Lennon, who's honesty was sometimes bitter and sarcastic, Harrison comes across as heartfelt, human, sometimes profound. There's an overriding religious theme to this album but it isn't overbearing nor does it interfere with the good music. Many songs are simply words of wisdom on living, for example: "The love you are blessed with/This world's waiting for/So let out your heart please, please/From behind that locked door."
In my book, Harrison was one of the very few rock guitarists who could play slide and play it well (D. Allman & J. Walsh also come to mind); his pure slide is in abundance on this recording. How many popular songs do you know where you can whistle or hum the lead guitar part? "My Sweet Lord" is indelibly ingrained in our musical consciousness. The lead is a pretty melody played elegantly. Other less known songs, such as "I'd Have you Anytime," also have this feature.
I'm not a fan of outtakes in general, asking: why weren't they included in the original? Usually it's rather evident. My opinion doesn't change here. With the exception of the previously unreleased, "I Live for You," the add'l alternate takes don't add anything. But they don't need to for the original 18 songs (not counting the uninspired jams) are a pleasure to listen to time and time again. George Harrison's songwriting really hit a peak on All Things Must Pass. And in every other way, it's one of the finest of the Beatle solos or of all the great recordings that came out in 1970.
Free Music Review: November 29, 2001: All Things Must Pass
Hit: 5 Stars
A fitting title for a somber day. I've been a Beatles fan my entire life, but the solo careers of the ex-Beatles always seemed very spotty. I'd been wanting to buy this album for years, especially since every critic claims it to be the best post-Beatles album. Well, they're right. I bought it last night in honor of George's passing (it seemed the best thing I could do). I must say, I was thoroughly unprepared for the epic greatness of this album. But I suppose it makes sense. For years, George had been relegated to junior member of the Beatles, with two songs an album. Released the following year of the breakup, All Things Must Pass is the product of Georges talents come to a boiling point through the Beatle years and now bubbling over in a 3 LP album. The only thing more striking than the wealth of material is the astounding quality. I have no problem saying that every song on this long album is a winner. I think you're hard pressed to make such a statement over one of John, Paul, or Ringo's solo efforts. Sure, John and Paul's first solo efforts are probably their best, but they still contain a few stinkers. All Things Must Pass does not succumb to the same fate. This re-mastered version is a must have for all Beatles fans who never picked up the album like me. It is like stumbling on a wealth of new high quality songs. Many are holdovers from as far back as the White album sessions. The band George assembled for this project is no more than a supergroup, and the tight playing shows, especially in the four original jams which comprise the end third of the album. As a Beatles fan, I was always a littled bummed that there are hardly any long instrumental solos or jams on any Beatles records. Here, you get almost 40 minutes of some of the tightest, rocking instrumental jam sessions you will ever hear, and the crisp re-mixing surely does these instrumental workouts extreme justice. This is truly the best post Beatles album by an ex Beatle, and anyone mourning George's passing would do him or herself well by purchasing it and experiencing George's vision of peace, love, and the search for spirituality. While playing the the album last night, I found great happiness knowing I was not alone in listening to such brilliance.