Let it Roll: Songs by George Harrison
A good overview, but some glaring missing tunes...
Creating career spanning compilations is risky business. Invariably, some songs are omitted while others perhaps get more recognition than they deserve by being included. Such is the case in listening to Let it Roll: Songs by George Harrison.
What the listener gets is material from his first album, the bombastic beauty, Phil Spector production, All Things Must Pass up to his final album released posthumously, Brainwashed. Bringing together his recordings originally released by Apple/EMI/Capitol and Dark Horse, finally the listener can get the whole perspective. Most of the familiar hits are included as are some tasteful album cuts plus some of his Beatles compositions performed during his tremendous benefit concert for Bangladesh.
The recording quality is superb and given the long span covered and radically different production styles featured, there’s no jarring conflict in overall sound from one cut to the next. There isn’t a bad track on the album.
The album disappoints in the songs it omitted. Not a single track is provided from three consecutive albums: Dark Horse, Extra Texture, and Thirty Three and a third. Granted the first two, his last two for Apple/EMI/Capitol are uneven albums, some great songs could have been included. From Dark Horse, “So Sad” is one of his strongest and most haunting cuts from any album. “Far East Man,” his collaboration with Ron Wood is a strong candidate, as is “Dark Horse.” Extra Texture is surely his weakest album and the only candidate would possibly be the single, “You,” but if there’s an album to be forgotten, this is the one. Thirty Three and a Third is one of his best solo albums. “Crackerbox Palace” is the most glaring omission of all possible songs neglected from this album. “This Song” is one of Harrison’s better humor-laden tunes. Two other strong candidates for this album could also be considered, “Beautiful Girl,” a classic love ballad, perhaps an update of “Something.” His cover of the Cole Porter classic, “True Love,” is another enjoyable tune. Other songs left out that sure belong include “Devil’s Radio” and two tracks from Best of Dark Horse (1976-1989) currently out-of-print, “Poor Little Girl” and “Cockamamie Business.” Perhaps a thoughtful two disc compilation is in order.
What’s on the album is good. The songs are not in chronological order for those listeners seeking historical perspective but mixing them up surely makes a more listenable album. The album opens with his last hit, “Got My Mind Set on You,” from Cloud Nine, 1987. Three songs from “Brainwashed,” his final album are included, “Any Road,” “Marwa Blues” and “Rising Son.” All Things Must Pass is the most heavily represented album with five tracks but “Beware of Darkness” is nowhere to be found. Cloud Nine is represented with three tracks as is the Concert for Bangladesh.
One unreleased song, possibly a Wilbury number, a Bob Dylan composition, “I Don’t Want to Do It” debuts. It’s a decent mid-tempo ballad, not a hit but a fine album cut.
For true George Harrison fans who have most of his CD’s, Let It Roll: Songs of George Harrison breaks little new ground. Listeners looking for a good overview of Harrison’s career should be disappointed with the obvious omissions. This album is a good recommendation as an introduction to George Harrison’s solo career. It’s also a great George Harrison quick fix. With nineteen tunes, there is a lot of music to enjoy – a fine collection for an iPod or car stereo.
While this album serves as a good overview, we would encourage the brain trust at EMI and George Harrison’s estate to consider either a volume two or a two disc set that tells the whole story.
A good overview, but some glaring missing tunes...
Creating career spanning compilations is risky business. Invariably, some songs are omitted while others perhaps get more recognition than they deserve by being included. Such is the case in listening to Let it Roll: Songs by George Harrison.
What the listener gets is material from his first album, the bombastic beauty, Phil Spector production, All Things Must Pass up to his final album released posthumously, Brainwashed. Bringing together his recordings originally released by Apple/EMI/Capitol and Dark Horse, finally the listener can get the whole perspective. Most of the familiar hits are included as are some tasteful album cuts plus some of his Beatles compositions performed during his tremendous benefit concert for Bangladesh.
The recording quality is superb and given the long span covered and radically different production styles featured, there’s no jarring conflict in overall sound from one cut to the next. There isn’t a bad track on the album.
The album disappoints in the songs it omitted. Not a single track is provided from three consecutive albums: Dark Horse, Extra Texture, and Thirty Three and a third. Granted the first two, his last two for Apple/EMI/Capitol are uneven albums, some great songs could have been included. From Dark Horse, “So Sad” is one of his strongest and most haunting cuts from any album. “Far East Man,” his collaboration with Ron Wood is a strong candidate, as is “Dark Horse.” Extra Texture is surely his weakest album and the only candidate would possibly be the single, “You,” but if there’s an album to be forgotten, this is the one. Thirty Three and a Third is one of his best solo albums. “Crackerbox Palace” is the most glaring omission of all possible songs neglected from this album. “This Song” is one of Harrison’s better humor-laden tunes. Two other strong candidates for this album could also be considered, “Beautiful Girl,” a classic love ballad, perhaps an update of “Something.” His cover of the Cole Porter classic, “True Love,” is another enjoyable tune. Other songs left out that sure belong include “Devil’s Radio” and two tracks from Best of Dark Horse (1976-1989) currently out-of-print, “Poor Little Girl” and “Cockamamie Business.” Perhaps a thoughtful two disc compilation is in order.
What’s on the album is good. The songs are not in chronological order for those listeners seeking historical perspective but mixing them up surely makes a more listenable album. The album opens with his last hit, “Got My Mind Set on You,” from Cloud Nine, 1987. Three songs from “Brainwashed,” his final album are included, “Any Road,” “Marwa Blues” and “Rising Son.” All Things Must Pass is the most heavily represented album with five tracks but “Beware of Darkness” is nowhere to be found. Cloud Nine is represented with three tracks as is the Concert for Bangladesh.
One unreleased song, possibly a Wilbury number, a Bob Dylan composition, “I Don’t Want to Do It” debuts. It’s a decent mid-tempo ballad, not a hit but a fine album cut.
For true George Harrison fans who have most of his CD’s, Let It Roll: Songs of George Harrison breaks little new ground. Listeners looking for a good overview of Harrison’s career should be disappointed with the obvious omissions. This album is a good recommendation as an introduction to George Harrison’s solo career. It’s also a great George Harrison quick fix. With nineteen tunes, there is a lot of music to enjoy – a fine collection for an iPod or car stereo.
While this album serves as a good overview, we would encourage the brain trust at EMI and George Harrison’s estate to consider either a volume two or a two disc set that tells the whole story.
No comments:
Post a Comment