GEORGE HARRISON – ALL THINGS MUST PASS (50th Anniversary Edition) (2 x CD) (Dark Horse Records) (2025)

In the artist’s own words “I knew I was gonna make a good album because I had so many songs and so much energy…it was joyous. A dream of dreams.” And George was right as songs like ‘My Sweet Lord’, ‘What is Life’, ‘If Not for You’, ‘Behind that Locked Door’ and ‘Beware of Darkness’ (covered by proggers Spock’s Beard) and the philosophical title track attest. The stereo mixes sound great and there’s a helpful conversation between mixer Paul Hicks and George’s son Dhani as hitherto undiscovered sonic details are brought to the fore. “I’d never realised there was an electric guitar mirroring the brass line” on the title track, says Paul. And what was thought to be a guitar turns out to be a synth B3 organ sound! The wobbly piano with a tape flutter on ‘Isn’t It A Pity’ (For me the absolute standout song of which two versions are included) is commented upon as well as Paul’s assertion that he didn’t realise there were synths on the album. Dhani comments, “There’s so much love and happiness but also a lot of pain.” Yes, the guitars sound great and it all ends with a Chick Berry tribute outtake called ‘Thanks for the Pepperoni’. 23 tracks in all, it turns out that like Macca, George was also a bit of a perfectionist, but that was all to the good. And on this musical “archaeology” appear musicians like Gary Brooker, Garry Wright, Eric Clapton, Dave Mason, Bobby Keys on tenor sax and Jin Price on trumpet, and even Badfinger! Absolutely essential.