Amazon.co.uk Review
All Things Must Pass was George Harrison's first release following the acrimonious falling apart of the
Beatles. Co-produced by the unhinged genius that was Phil Spector, it features his biggest solo hit in the "He's So Fine"-soundalike, "My Sweet Lord". Alongside a laid-back strum through
Bob Dylan's "If Not For You", this remastered two-CD set also has the gentle "Isn't It A Pity" and "What is Life"--songs that show a writer enjoying true creative freedom for the first time and exploring his growing devotion to Krishna, outside of Lennon and McCartney's shadow. Ably supported by celebrity mates like
Eric Clapton and the redoubtable
Ringo Starr,
All Things Must Pass is the sound of Harrison breathing out for the first time in 10 years. Moreover, it's conclusive proof that the Beatles were blessed with not just two, but three truly great songwriters. --
Billie Swift
CD Description
Though George Harrison's solo albums for most of the 1970s and early '80s were uneven, often slapdash affairs, 1970's ALL THINGS MUST PASS is a brilliant piece of work. Produced by Phil Spector, whose expansive, majestic arrangements and sonic flourishes suit Harrison's songs perfectly, ALL THINGS MUST PASS eclipses everything the other Beatles recorded at the time (excepting John Lennon's PLASTIC ONO BAND). This sprawling double record gives the impression of Harrison beinguncorked and pouring forth all of the songs and ideas edgedout by Lennon and McCartney during the Beatles years.
The title and the melancholic black and white cover photo match the mood of the music, which brims with an armchair wisdom, and the weary, disillusioned air that permeated the early '70s in the counter-cultural wake. Yet the album also boastsan abiding sense of spirituality and tenacious optimism, ason the lullaby-like hit single "My Sweet Lord" and "Isn't It a Pity", a compassionate study of human suffering. "What Is Life" and "Awaiting on You All" continue these themes, butSpector's bright pop polish lends a counterweight, making the record feel light and deeply personal at once. Despite some lengthy, formless jams, as on the 11-minute-plus "Out of the Blue", ALL THINGS MUST PASS stands among the great records of the early '70s.