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All Things Must Pass [BOXED EDITION]
Participated by George Harrison
Studio : Capitol
by Capitol
Release Date : 2001-01-23
Publisher : Capitol
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
EAN : 0724353047429
UPC : 724353047429
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 367 reviews)
List Price : $24.98
Our Price : $16.00
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Evangelismbookstore.com |
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George Harrison Photos More from George Harrison
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Dark Horse Years 1976-1992 | 
The Concert for Bangladesh DVD | |
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Evangelismbookstore.com |
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It's hard to imagine, but Beatles resident mystic George Harrison has arguably become the band's most curmudgeonly cynic. We offer as evidence this splendidly remastered 30th-anniversary edition of his 1970 multidisc solo epic. If the mini-boxed set's booklet and twin inner CD sleeves won't convince you (the album's familiar cover is colorized and altered to include backdrops of a freeway-tangled cityscape and nuclear reactor cooling towers, respectively), then maybe his liner-note apology for Phil Spector's "big production" (kind of like Da Vinci grousing about Mona's crooked smile) or his laconic, stripped-down, 2000 rethink of "My Sweet Lord" will. With such a mindset, it's unsurprising Harrison has allowed a nearly decade-and-a-half gap to grow between recordings. Still, no amount of grumpy auto-revisionism can subtract from the admittedly overwrought majesty of these tracks, which were the logical sonic extension of Abbey Road. It remains Harrison's unequaled masterpiece. The devolved "My Sweet Lord" aside, the bonus tracks here offer new insight: the unreleased "I Live for You" further highlights the album's oft overlooked country facet; spare takes of "Beware of Darkness" and "Let It Down" underscore the strength of Harrison's songwriting; an alternate backing track of "What Is Life" demonstrates the meticulousness of Spector's production. And then there's the project's truly stellar session lineup, which included Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Klaus Voorman, Jim Gordon, Dave Mason, Badfinger, Billy Preston, Ginger Baker, Carl Radle, Gary Brooker, Jim Price, Bobby Keys, Pete Drake and, it turns out, even Phil Collins! --Jerry McCulley |
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A Welcome Reminder Of How Much He Is Still Missed |
It's somewhat hard for me to listen to this CD in particular, (or others of his, for that matter), and not, at least to some degree, somehow return to the now-familiar feeling that I increasingly seem to miss George Harrison's presence in this sorry, old world, almost as if I'd somehow underestimated his passing (yet, I remain in full possession of my awareness of not having truly done so). But, since he himself has passed, each return to works of his, like this one, has acted more to renew my own affinity for the kind of person I think so many of us grasped he was: kind and warm-hearted, to be sure, yet so uniquely, and at once, both spiritual AND cerebral. Through his brand of rock he was as much as, or more than, most anyone else (as in fact he still seems) a continuing force for the elevation of consciousness and of the spiritual in ourselves, not to mention its relevance with respect to the world itself. Oh sure, he can (aesthetically speaking) alternate, wrestle (or even appear to us to defer to wrestle, as he often seems to be doing) with that cynical, somewhat darker, or more detached viewpoint he often seems (and seemed) to display. But, I never saw that it ever acted (toward the end of his life's work, or indeed any other time) to nullify him at all (as an artist, at the very least) - all of which, it seems to me, from the very beginning of his solo career, if not all along, was simply a defining dimension of depth to his own, unique, artistic perpective. But, in any case, to say it in the simplest terms: donning an album of his, for me, these days, is increasingly like hearing from an old friend.
My hat's off to ya, George, wherever you are....on cloud nine, I imagine.......and probably still grumblin' 'bout Paul n John, I'm sure(!) ;) |
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Great deal |
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I am glad to have found this CD. I have the album and wanted it on CD. Shipping was fast and it was in good condition. The only problems is when I play it on media player and the song titles on disk two come up in chinese or japanese with no way of changing it. |
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"George Harrison Came Of Age With This Masterpiece" (now with extra tracks) |
George Harrison wrote lots of songs during the Beatles years that were never recorded by the band, as he often had to plead just to have them heard.
The huge majority of those songs appeared on this large outpouring of material (3 vinyl LP's in 1970). This mammoth collection, along with John Lennon's "Imagine", Paul McCartney's "Band On The Run" and Ringo Starr's "Ringo" albums is arguably the greatest solo project by any of the Beatles.
The personnel ? A who's who of rock at the time; Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, Gary Brooker, Klaus Voormann, Alan White, Dave Mason, and uncredited performances by the likes of John Lennon, Peter Frampton and a young Phil Collins was a phenominal lineup.
Legendary producer Phil Spector was also on board for the basic tracks.
Though not present for the sessions, Bob Dylan's presence was felt as a writer, having written "If Not For You" on his own and co-written "I'd Have You Anytime" with George.
The selections were eclectic, which gave the album it's charm.
The religious rock of "My Sweet Lord", "What Is Life", "Hear Me Lord", "Awaiting On You All", "Beware Of Darkness", "The Art Of Dying" and "Isn't It A Pity";
The humor of "Wah Wah", "Apple Scruffs", "Let It Roll" and "I Dig Love";
The raw, human emotion of "Run Of The Mill", "Behind That Locked Door" ( a song about Bob Dylan), "Let It Down" and the title cut "All Things Must Pass";
All these styles and approaches from folk ballads to steel guitar filled country to high powered rock give the listener variety.
A collection of in-studio jamming was also included.
This re-release includes several bonus tracks including several early versions of album tracks, a previously unissued recording titled "I Live For You", and a 30th anniversary re-recording of the mega hit "My Sweet Lord" further enhances this rock classic.
If you love George's music, this is one you can't live without. 5 stars. |
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George Harrison's Wall of Sound |
The late George Harrison's All Things Must Pass, originally released in 1970 shortly after the break-up of the Beatles, is an outstanding album and is probably the best "solo" album released by any of the former Beatles. The album was originally a three-LP box set (with opulent and beautifully colored interior packaging) with two LPs of "songs" and a third "bonus" LP titled "Apple Jam," containing extended jams performed by the all-star lineup of musicians that appear on the album. All of the music, and more, is included in this reissued set. The original album also contained a large poster of George, which is not included here.
When he recorded All Things Must Pass, George Harrison was on a creative roll, having contributed "Something" and "Here Comes The Sun" the previous year to The Beatles' Abbey Road. All Things Must Pass (and his headlining of the star-studded benefit Concert For Bangla Desh the following year) marked George Harrison's high water mark as a solo artist, and contains some of his finest songs, including the hit singles "My Sweet Lord" (according to the judicial system, a reworked cover of The Chiffons' early 60's hit "He's So Fine") and "What Is Life" (without your love), the chilling "Beware of Darkness," "Isn't It A Pity," "Apple Scuffs," "Wah-Wah," "Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)," "Awaiting On You All," "If Not For You" (a Dylan cover), "I'd Have You Any Time" (co-written by Harrison and Dylan) and the title track. The three original LPs fit nicely onto two CDs with room for some extra songs. The first CD contains the first LP from the original album plus five additional tracks: "I Live For You," an excellent outtake featuring stellar pedal steel playing by the late Pete Drake, an acoustic demo of "Beware of Darkness," alternative versions of "Let It Down" and "What Is Life" and a new (circa 2000) version of "My Sweet Lord." The second CD contains the second LP and the bonus "Apple Jam" LP from the original album.
The playing on the album is first-rate. The album contains a virtual who's who of backing musicians, including: Derek and the Dominos (Eric Clapton, Jim Gordon, Carl Radle and Bobby Whitlock); Ringo Starr, Billy Preston and Klaus Voormann (the Beatles contingent); Gary Brooker (of Procul Harem); Alan White (later to join Yes); Phil Collins (later to join Genesis); Pete Drake; Dave Mason (on leave from Traffic); Badfinger (including Pete Ham); Bobby Keys (Rolling Stones sideman); and others.
This Phil Spector produced album features Spector's famous "wall of sound" which permeates the album. As George notes (apologetically) in the liner notes, the sound is a bit dated, but at the time it suited the songs well. The CD remastering is excellent; this is one case where the CDs may actually sound better than the original LPs.
The packaging of the original version of this CD reissue was really nice. Originally this set (the version I have) was offered in a mini-box replica of the original album, with a colorized version of the original black and white album cover. The mini-box contained individual sleeves for each of the two CDs with alterative versions of the colorized cover, and a nice booklet with an essay by George, some cool photos, the lyrics and information on the artists appearing on the album. The set is now offered as a digipak; I am not familiar with the newer packaging. (Apparently, Evangelismbookstore offers both the mini-box and digipak versions of this release. If you purchase this set, I'd recommend picking up the boxed edition if it is available).
In short, this is a must purchase if you are into the Beatles and/or George Harrison. |
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Sgt George's Passing-Things Club Band - Side One |
Having been 7 years old in 1970, I didn't know the Beatles had broken up, even though I was also aware of John's and Paul's solo albums, which my brother was wise enough to pick up right as they came out. Out of the three, I much preferred All Things Must Pass. I didn't know it then, but George was my favorite Beatle and he always will be. Paul and John were much too extreme in their respective charming showman and curmudgeonly angry-young-man cynic, but George had a nicely measured blend of both, and it is apparent in this album.
Since all albums typically open with a strong lead-in track, "I'll Have You Anytime" seems to be an odd choice on the surface, but its production stays with you and packs a punch. It immediately sets the tone for the entire album, and the remastering brings out the underlying atmosphere of the recording that I knew was there before, but it's more apparent now. It's one of the songs that bears repeated listening. It really makes you want to reach out to people you love. It's devastating. "My Sweet Lord" and "Wah-Wah" are his versions of "Plastic Ono Band - Primal Album" material. Reaching out to God for peace and lambasting his former bandmates for giving him headaches (to say the very least) are just as potent as Lennon's "Love" and "I Found Out" as well as, ironically enough, "God". John and George are both basically saying they'd had enough of Paul Mc Cartney, that he was making them physically ill and that he made himself out to be much more than he actually was, thereby suffocating the two, and they have to break away from the Beatle thing or else they'll both go insane.
"Isn't It A Pity" packs a punch in so many ways. It not only echoed Lennon's feelings about society in general, but it's also George's way of smirking in Paul's face as a parody of the structure of Paul's beloved "Hey Jude" with its simple acoustic guitar opening leading to the bombastic coda repeating "what a pity", not to mention the song's 7-plus minute length. Thankfully, George was wise enough to not do any annoying scat singing at the end.
This album has so much bright about it that it bears a separate review for each side, so that's exactly what I'm doing here. Individual reviews of sides 2, 3 and 4 will follow on their own, then I'll have as look at the bonus tracks.
It's getting a bit late, so I must be on my way to face another day.
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