George Harrison CD

Additional Tracks

Personnel: George Harrison (vocals, guitar, bass); Eric Clapton (guitar); Steve Winwood (harmonium, Mini Moog synthesizer, background vocals); Neil Larsen (keyboards, Mini-Moog synthesizer); Gary Wright (Oberheim synthesizer); Neil Larsen (keyboards, Mini Moog); Emily Richards (marimba); Willie Weeks (bass); Andy Newmark (drums); Ray Cooper (percussion).
Principally recorded at A.I.R. Studios, London, England. Includes liner notes by George Harrison.
George Harrison is, except for the overdubbed London strings, a painstakingly polished L.A.-made product -- and not a particularly inspired one at that. It's an ordinary album from an extraordinary talent. "Love Comes to Everyone" leads it off on a depressing note, a treadmill tune with greeting-card verses, and there are too many other such halfhearted songs lurking here, although some are salvaged by a nice instrumental touch: a catchy recurring guitar riff on "Soft Touch" and some lovely slide guitar on "Your Love Is Forever." Compared to the original, tougher Beatles version that was left off the White Album, the remake of "Not Guilty" is an easy listening trifle, though it was a revelation when it came out (the original had to wait until 1996 and Anthology 3 for an official release), and the succeeding "Here Comes the Moon" is a lazy retake on another Beatles song. "Blow Away" would be the record's most attractive new song -- and a number 16 hit -- but "Faster," a paean to Harrison's passion for Formula One auto racing, probably better reflected where his head was at this time. There are a few quirks: "Soft-Hearted Hana" is a strange, stream-of-consciousness Hawaiian hallucination and "Dark Sweet Lady" is a Latin-flavored tune written for his new wife, Olivia. Finally, the inevitable spiritual benediction "If You Believe" offers some thoughtful philosophy to ponder, if not an especially memorable tune. ~ Richard S. Ginell
One of George Harrison's finest 1970s recordings, his '79 self-titled album is most notable for the inclusion of "Not Guilty," a song originally intended for the Beatles' WHITE ALBUM. Here, in its breezy, keyboard-driven form, the tune sets the laid-back tone of the album, a mood continued by "Here Comes the Moon," a reflective riff on his signature tune "Here Comes the Sun." Steve Winwood's presence is clearly felt throughout much of the record, particularly in his Moog and harmonium work, while Eric Clapton's guitar ushers in the proceedings on the opening track, "Loves Comes to Everyone." Although Harrison had come a long way from his Beatles days by this point, low-key songs such as the aforementioned tracks and "Soft-Hearted Hana" serve to remind listeners that the "quiet Beatle" persona would always be a key aspect of Harrison's legacy, even while he walked down his own path.

Rolling Stone (3/4/04, p.68) - 3 stars out of 5 - "[Features] memorably lilting tunes..."
Uncut (4/04, p.118) - 4 stars out of 5 - "[A] freshly enthused, minor treat - a fulsome acoustic rocker replete with sunshine melodies and gorgeous slide guitar."