All Things Must Pass
On the heels of "Something" and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," George Harrison must have felt he had little to prove as a songwriter. But unfortunately for him, those stellar efforts were in service of a band whose main songwriters were namedLennonandMcCartney. But when theBeatlespartnership dissolved in 1970, Harrison wasted little time in showcasing the body of work he'd accumulated the previous two years--or in trying to takeAbbey Road's lavish production ethos to its next logical plateau. The resulting late-1970 double-album (originally released with a third bonus disc of instrumental "Apple Jams," which are still included here) was perhaps the most Beatles-sounding post-Fabs effort, a far cry from the two quirky solo efforts he'd undertaken while still in the band (the authentically IndianWonderwall Musicand the Moog wank-festElectronic Sounds). Tracks like "Beware of Darkness," "All Things Must Pass," "The Art of Dying," "Isn't It a Pity," and the hit "My Sweet Lord" gave the album a strong spiritual center, balanced by the light-hearted "Apple Scruffs," "If Not For You," and theBob Dylancollaboration "I'd Have You Anytime."Phil Spector's mammoth, orchestrally laced production took his trademark "wall of sound" to impressive new levels, all the more remarkable in light of the biting, minimalist work he was collaborating with John Lennon on, virtually simultaneously. Far and away Harrison's masterpiece; he'd have been wise to have saved a few of these songs for a rainy day.Jerry McCulley