Dark Horse [CD]

So why isn't this album simply condemned to the dustbin of history, like a lost sock in the laundromat of oblivion? Well firstly because it comes from George Harrison. And even his weaker albums, of which this is probably one, contained at least three or four good songs. And also because the very roughness of George's voice, combined with top notch session musicians as always (Ringo is also here somewhere but this time less obviously) makes for a thoroughly interesting listening experience. We hear a side of George for example that no one, at least at the time, can have thought existed. George struggling with alcoholism. Quite a shocker after the previous album for me with its 'Lord there just a few...who bow before you' lyrics. But this is a marvellously honest song. And coming after the opening instrumental with its distinctive slide guitar (virtually the only example of this on the entire album!), it is somehow quite gripping. We learn here and on the next track 'So Sad' that George is actually as prone to the pitfalls of lost direction and more specifically lost love as the rest of us humans. And that is quite reassuring. But even in these dark lyrics he recognises the problem head on..."you may think of Sexy Sadie, let her in through your front door...but your life won't be so easy...Anymore'. Great bell-like Badfingeresque acoustic guitars on 'So Sad' too. Thankfully George was to find true happiness in his second marriage to Olivia who even graces the album label in the way that Linda did on 'Wild Life' and Yoko did on 'Imagine'. But here he is in the midst of a marriage break up and hence there is precious little of the uplifting and happy lyrics (or melodies) which George is now primarily remembered for. So what? This is an important document of George's emotional state at the time and he sings convincingly, though pretty throatily due to the afore mentioned loss of voice. 'Bye Bye Love' is an Everleys cover directly about the split with Patti. And he even has the nerve to invite Eric Clapton and Patti (who were now a couple) to contribute backing vocals! It is not a great version admittedly, but is a curio for us fans.
Side 1 of the vinyl record ends with 'Maya Love' which although not a very memorable song does at least feature some of that George slide which was so prominent on the first two solo albums and which is so curiously absent on this one.
Side 2 opens with George's Christmas single 'Ding Dong' which is only a shade better that McCartney's attempt 5 years later 'Wonderful Christmastime'. In this department at least, Lennon won hands down.
But then we have the title track which is memorable. Great lyrics and a jerky but effective melody and drums reminiscent of galloping horses to boot! 'Far East Man', written with Ron Wood, who featured it on his album of the same year, is subdued but quite moving in its own way. The closing track is another curio: repetitive chorus chants to Sri Krshna which are a little annoying, to these ears anyway. But a verse with a great melody which heightens expectations only to be brought down to earth firmly by the turgid chorus every time!
So this is a mixed bag for sure. Lyrics are alternately dealing with very human situations whilst elsewhere maintain a pretty firm allegiance to Krishna.
A long way from 'All Things' or 'Material World' this and still further from his joyously melodic return to form five years later, the 'George Harrison' album of 1979. But still well worthy of investigation for anyone remotely interested in George Harrison who almost always wore his heart on his sleeve and was searching for some kind of inner peace. Isn't that what we're all striving for at the end of the day?

George was ill during the recording of this album, but forced by Apple to deliver his next album so hense the hoarse voice on some of the tracks.

The musicianship on this record is nothing short of superb which you'd expect from the line up of usual suspects collected here.
This was really the last batch of good songs George delivered for Apple as the follow up album 'Extra Texture'(his last for the label) was virtually devoid of anything much resembling the quality that had gone before.

Remember, that George himself was happy enough with this album, so much so that he undertook his first solo tour to promote it. The opener, Hari's on Tour, a lively instrumental, was written purely with this in mind and he opened the shows with this.

The top tracks on here are the bitter 'Simply Shady', the beautiful 'So Sad', the title track 'Dark horse' and superb 'Far East Man'.

'So Sad' is one the finest songs George wrote. 'Far East Man' was co-written with Ronnie Wood and he joins George on this track.(To hear Ronnie's version of the song,check out his own 'I've Got My Own Album To Do'

'Ding Dong, Ding Dong' is a shocker with lyrics culled from an inscription George found at his Friar Park home.

One curio on the album, the unusual cover of the Everly Brothers, 'Bye,Bye Love'. This song bears little resembelance to the original and has a litle extra verse penned by George to commemorate his wife Patti taking off with his best mate Eric.

"There Goes our lady
With you know who
I hope they're happy
Old Clapper too"

Clapton even played on the track. So how's that for cheekiness?

In summary if you're a casual listener interested in sampling Harrisons solo work, this probably isn't for you. If you're a Harrison or Beatles fan and pondering whether or not to take the plunge with this one, there are tracks on this LP you NEED. So forget what you've read about this album, the good tracks on here earn it 4 stars from this reviewer.