George Harrison’s work after Living In The Material World is surprisingly under appreciated. Most who love his solo works confine themselves to the music he made before Nixon was even out of office. Harrison made many solo works after his biggest successes, yet they were confined to middle level chart success and hardcore fans. Yet much lies beneath these albums, including excellent musicianship, genre explorations, interesting chord progressions, and one man's growth into himself more than any of his previous band mates ever did. This growth was something to apeciate from Harrison overtime whereas John and Paul bloomed from the outset. With George it was a gradual discovery and growth.
Dark Horse is infamously shrouded in post 1974 tour vocal issues, impending divorce, and record label woes, yet despite all of this Simply Shady remains one of his best songs, perhaps to fly in spite of all that was going on. Much like his friend and receiver of his monetary success, Terry Gilliam, he thrives on difficulty and representing himself within his work. While not nearly the artistic triumph it could have been, his next few albums live on in that promise.
Extra Texture and Thirty Three and A 1/3rd are both soul explorations and classic ‘70s song stylings respectively. One thing Harrison had over his former band mates was firmly living in the current age. His songs comfortably fit into the song stylings of studio musician crafted sounds and performances including backing singers, double tracked instruments, and effects. Songs like The Answers At The End and Tired Of Midnight Blue all benefit from his love of soul and rnb while It’s What You Value and Pure Smokey have some excellent rhythm and structure to them not to mention wonderful melodies vocally throughout. Despite not being included You is a great opener and could double as a dual opener and closer as well and the opener to 331/3 hs wonderful bass playing on it showcasing Harrison’s love for black music (including him sticking sax on everything).
From Extra Texture’s soulful keyboard excursions and Thirty Three and A 1/3rd general return to form, his self-titled lives up to its reputation as one of his best overall. Love Comes To Everyone, Here Comes The Moon, and If You Believe rank up there with his best tunes. Even Beatles era Not Guilty benefits from the softer textural touches aiding in his late ‘70s Hawaii relaxation period. Afterwards he would follow up with Somewhere in England and Gone Troppo, two drops in quality overall with two still interesting songs. Hong Kong Blues is a curio from the period and Wake Up My Love remains one of his best openers and energetic and interesting songs.
Following a hiatus he had a comeback with the exuberant and rejuvenated Cloud Nine filled with hits. And what a fun album it is. Harrison seems ready to revisit his past, present, and future, both subject matter wise and musically/tonally. Meanwhile after yet another break, the posthumous Brainwashed is a solid wave goodbye. Harrison knew his reflection world weary and witty tendencies would come to fold into his comfort in his laid back twilight era songs.
Harrison’s career wasn’t as twisting and turning as one may have hoped from its initial outset (hyperlink electronic sound) however his comfort level of settling into his own feel is much appreciated, as is his slide playing which is some of the best ever. For my money Harrison is one of the best slide players ever and his choice of guitar chords and progressions is unique and unparalleled to his own ethos. George truly followed his own muse and some of his best and co tiny ally evolving artistic work laid beyond the material world.
P.S. - Here is George’s vocal version of Ringo’s It Don’t Come Easy which, because it’s a bootleg, has never been officially released. It’s wonderful. Also, shout out to this guy for doing a deep dive on Harrison’s guitar solos. The thing about this playlist is that it showed me just how fucking good Harrison was as a slide player and how many sessions he did in his career.
Comments
No posts