George Harrison: All things must pass

George Harrison is back...sort of. Fourteen years after the release of his last solo studio album, he reissued his classic 1970 debut, All Things Must Pass. With improved sound quality and bonus tracks, this consistently inspired, spiritual-minded set reaffirms Harrison's tremendous talent.

The Lennon-McCartney team ensured a limited songwriting role for Harrison on Beatles records, and upon the band's break-up, he was left with a pile of quality songs that had accumulated over the decade. As a result, All Things Must Pass hasn't a weak track among its 28 cuts, and Harrison proves himself a songwriter on par with John, Paul, and even Bob Dylan, who co-wrote the album's opener. His lyrics run from the spiritual ("Help me Lord please/To rise a little higher...To burn out this desire"), to biting ("The Pope owns 51 percent of General Motors/The stock exchange is the only thing he's qualified to quote us"), to amusingly toss-off ("I dig love...I love dig").

While his religious convictions would later become preachy, Harrison here refrains from forcing God down his audience's throat. Rather, songs such as "My Sweet Lord," "Run of the Mill" and "Awaiting On You All" convey a warm sense of spiritual awareness and longing that pervades the album.

Musically, this record calls to mind Harrison's contributions to Abbey Road—"Something" and "Here Comes the Sun"—on a much grander and often harder-rocking scale. Phil Spector's production compliments Harrison's nasal voice, and backing him is a wet-dream inducing cast, including Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, and Phil Collins. Behind Harrison's trademark slide guitar, the music is always tight and fresh.

Five strong bonus tracks are also included. The country-tinged ballad "I Live For You" holds its own with the rest of the album, while the two demos and punchy backing track for "What Is Life" offer insight into the LP's development. As a special bonus, Harrison re-recorded the classic hit "My Sweet Lord." His Dylan-esque croak and several new flourishes in the arrangement make it a worthy addition.

Even without the expanded packaging and liner notes, bonus tracks, and tweaked artwork, this release is vital. A classic on the level of any Beatles' album, All Things Must Pass is a disc worth revisiting now, both on its 30th anniversary and for years to come. (Capitol) —Jim Laakso

Back to A&E...