features in: Album Chart of 1970 ● Album Chart of the Decade: 1970s ● 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die  |
The third album from the 27-year-old was released in November, 1970, his first to be released after the Beatles split was officially confirmed several months earlier. It kicks off with “I‘d Have You Anytime” and immediately I'm thinking, jeez, have the entire western free world been surreptitiously syringed by a dastardly record executive, with a secret formula to turn them all into middle-of-the-road soft-as-putty americana-bores? And it's a triple album you say… are we to be subjected to 106 minutes of this pish? KILL ME NOW. Thankfully, it's not all that bad, but it's never great either. “My Sweet Lord”, in praise of the Hindu god Krishna, does nothing to make me feel better and, in fact, I'm almost staring him down with utter disdain. And he ripped off The Chiffons (vastly superior) “He's So Fine” in the process - what a cad. #1 all over the world mind ::rolls eyes::.
Much better is “Wah-Wah” which cranks up the bad-ass-o-meter and producer Phil Spector plays a blinder on the wall-of-sound sonics, with some glorious brass in amongst the cacophony. The goodwill is maintained with “Isn't It A Pity (Version One)”, a beautifully orchestrated ballad with reflects on broken relationships and how we take each other for granted; remember to give back is the effective message. All of a sudden I appear to be enjoying the album and the poptastic “What Is Life” reaffirms the feeling with a soulful joie-de-vivre stomp. Alas, these early plus points soon fade away as the album develops, choosing to tread the dreaded path of mediocre Americana, as previously feared. Had I been there I'd have been asking “will any ex-Beatle ever make a good solo album?”
The Jukebox Rebel
12–Jan–2016
| Tracklist |
| A1 | [02:56]  George Harrison - I‘d Have You Anytime (George Harrison, Robert Zimmerman) Soft Rock / A.O.R. |
| A2 | [04:38]  George Harrison - My Sweet Lord (George Harrison) Folk Rock / Americana |
| A3 | [05:35]  George Harrison - Wah-Wah (George Harrison) Rock |
| A4 | [07:10]  George Harrison - Isn‘t It A Pity (Version One) (George Harrison) Soft Rock / A.O.R. |
| B1 | [04:22]  George Harrison - What Is Life (George Harrison) Cerebral Pop |
| B2 | [03:29]  George Harrison - If Not For You (Robert Zimmerman) Folk Rock / Americana |
| B3 | [03:05]  George Harrison - Behind That Locked Door (George Harrison) Country |
| B4 | [04:57]  George Harrison - Let It Down (George Harrison) Soft Rock / A.O.R. |
| B5 | [02:49]  George Harrison - Run Of The Mill (George Harrison) Songwriter |
| C1 | [03:48]  George Harrison - Beware Of Darkness (George Harrison) Songwriter |
| C2 | [03:04]  George Harrison - Apple Scruffs (George Harrison) Songwriter |
| C3 | [03:48]  George Harrison - Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll) (George Harrison) Folk Rock / Americana |
| C4 | [02:45]  George Harrison - Awaiting On You All (George Harrison) Blues Rock / Soul Rock |
| C5 | [03:44] George Harrison - All Things Must Pass (George Harrison) Pop Ballad |
| D1 | [04:55] George Harrison - I Dig Love (George Harrison) Soft Rock / A.O.R. |
| D2 | [03:37]  George Harrison - Art Of Dying (George Harrison) Rock |
| D3 | [04:45]  George Harrison - Isn‘t It A Pity (Version Two) (George Harrison) Soft Rock / A.O.R. |
| D4 | [05:46]  George Harrison - Hear Me Lord (George Harrison) Soft Rock / A.O.R. |
| E1 | [11:14]  George Harrison - Out Of The Blue (George Harrison) Prog |
| E2 | [00:49]  George Harrison - It‘s Johnny‘s Birthday (George Harrison, Bill Martin, Phil Coulter) Novelty |
| E3 | [03:18]  George Harrison - Plug Me In (George Harrison) Rock |
| F1 | [08:07]  George Harrison - I Remember Jeep (George Harrison) Blues Rock / Soul Rock |
| F2 | [05:31]  George Harrison - Thanks For The Pepperoni (George Harrison) Blues Rock / Soul Rock |
