George Harrison - All Things Must Pass [BOXED EDITION]

Disappointment - the sound is still murky

I first owned the three-record set and later purchased the CD. The songs were great but the production was murky. I recently purchased the remastered CD, hoping for better production. I was disappointed. Some songs sound great: I'd Have You Anytime, My Sweet Lord, If Not for You, Run of the Mill, Apple Scruffs, and I Dig Love are clean and the guitars sound bright and clear. Many of the other songs, however, still sound like mud. The lead guitar is often barely audible in songs like Wah-Wah, Let It Down, Beware of Darkness, Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp, Awaiting On You All, and Isn't It a Pity, which is a shame because the playing is so gorgeous. Even songs like What is Life and Art of Dying could be improved if the guitars were louder and the background cleaner. Too much of the sound gets mushed together. I don't know whose fault this is - could be the producer or the sound mixer. The remastered cd provides little improvement in the production of most of the songs that include vocals. On the other hand, the sound of the instrumental songs (what was originally the third record of the three-record set) is much cleaner, though no one should purchase this CD for these instrumentals.

Ideally, Emd/Capitol should issue a one-CD version of this album, deleting the instrumentals (no one buys this cd for the instrumentals), adding I Live for You (which is on this CD) and You (which is on Extra Texture but was originally recorded during the All Things Must Pass sessions), cleaning up the wall of Sound (My Sweet Lord and Apple Scruffs are examples of good production for this music) and putting the guitars (lead and acoustic), piano, drums, and base up front and finally giving these great songs the production they deserve.

Bottom line: Three stars. The songs are great. The instrumentals are filler. The slide guitar, when you can hear it, is incredibly beautiful. If you don't already have this CD, it is absolutely worth a listen. If you already have the older CD, don't bother getting the new one.
December 8, 2008

George's Breakout

The amount of quality material that George Harrison had ready for an LP at the time of the Beatles break-up was enormous. Combining impressive and comprehensive musical arrangements with his penchant for the sugar sweet, he was able to create a triple-LP worth of pious beauty. Phil Spector's pattented wall of sound works wonders on the determined Harrison's unique brand of folk-rock. This record is touching in a way that only a Beatles member could make it, and never feels for me like a footnote to their wonderous career. George Harrison still stands next to Lennon/McCartney as the little guy, who liked to write a simple, pretty song. And there will always be those who think of him as their favorite Beatle because of it. November 2, 2008

All Things Must Pass [DIGI-PAK EDITION

All Things Must Pass [DIGI-PAK EDITION was Harrison's first solo album after the Beatles broke up 1970 and it is a dandy of a record. One wonders why so little of Harrison's tallent was used during his days with the Beatles. Harrison was a surprisingly adept lyricist and a much better vocalist then I was aware of. Yes, the book-let is a strange one. Harrison in purple boots, big brown hat surrounded by gnomes. Harrison has also written a very well-written and thought worthy essay regarding the recording. I love the photographs and one can see that he was a very pensive and cerebral man. This is a recording not to be missed. September 25, 2008

Spirit from a Beatle

When the Beatles were recording in the 1960s, those of us who were total fans and knew every album and single word-by-word also knew we were missing out since there never seemed to be enough room for more than maybe one George Harrison song.

After the group split, the album All Things Must Pass proved to be filled with songs Harrison fans had always just known were sitting inside his quiet and spiritual demeanor. George Harrison may not have been able to answer all the big questions but he sure tried - especially in this varied collection. September 23, 2008

All Things Must Pass

George really was way too underrated. This album will always be a classic.
Delivered within a few days and in perfect condition. I've played it every day since I received it and love it. August 25, 2008

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