George Harrison - Dark Horse & Extra Texture Thread

True, but issuing a 3 record set in a box gave it a gravitas it might not have had as a single album.

 

I have heard a version of it with a better vocal. Unfortunately, the back track is unpolished...more of a churning rock song. Such a shame that Dark Horse was before Pro Tools. If only George's coclas from the early demos could have been matched up with the final backing track... we could have avoided all these horse vocals..

 

Oh yeah, definitely. I just meant that the fact that it was all released at once can make you forget how much material George already had by 1970, and if he wanted to, he could've released a string of incredibly strong albums to last him for several years (plus the Concert For Bangladesh).

I was wondering whether that would cause people to look at his overall solo career differently.

 

Great post. I bought both Dark Horse and Extra Texture today, having only had ATMP in my collection. Initially, I was concerned that these two albums might be less than great from reading some other posts. However, I just finished playing Dark Horse and my honest first impression-this is an honest, brave and fine album, despite his vocals. I'm a fan too and now looking forward to playing Extra Texture!

 

I enjoy my one album version of these records:

1
You
This Guitar (Can't Keep From Crying)
Tired of Midnight Blue
So Sad
The Answer's at the End

2
Dark Horse
Far East Man
Maya Love
Simply Shady
World of Stone

A pretty solid album, though you still wish it had livelier performances and faster tempos.

Dhani and co improved the sound of these albums but IMO someone should try remixing them. I feel like George rarely got a good vocal sound. I wonder how hard it would be to put that demo vocal of Dark Horse into the album version...

 

It was like getting a double album, a frisbee and an ugly poster all in one super cool package.

 

But no marbles.....

 

I was kind of tired of the Beatles around the time this came out, and disenchanted with their solo careers so I missed these the first time around (I think I heard the song "Ding Dong" but that's it). I had Dark Horse on loan in the early '80s and I thought it was OK, though apparently I didn't like it enough to buy it once I returned the record. So this is my first time owning it and my opinion is pretty much the same as it was 30 years ago. OK but not that good. His version of Bye Bye Love is kind of dreadful. Overall I'd rank it near the bottom of the list of GH albums that I've heard.

I hadn't heard Extra Texture at all before, and so far, it seems I wasn't missing much. I like This Guitar and Midnight Blue but that's about it. His Name is Legs seems like pure filler, and it's better than most of the other tracks. There are a few GH albums I haven't heard (including Gone Troppo, which generally gets ranked last) but of the ones I've heard, this is my least favorite.

The idea above about combining the best tracks into one album makes sense though it would still be one of his lesser albums.

 

I have now played Extra Texture a couple of times, since buying it two days ago, and I'm not keen on this at all. Sounds more like Extra Bland.

 

In general, I agree with you -- and Extra Texture is probably my least favorite George album -- but I had an interesting experience yesterday that made me think about how important context is. I was watching Jools Holland's show with my 12-year-old yesterday; the one from September where Olivia was a guest. During her segment, they played a bit of video (the Extra Texture teaser clip), and after hearing a bunch of music that I was only mildly interested in, "Tired Of Midnight Blue" suddenly sounded FANTASTIC. Now, when I'm playing all George stuff, that song wouldn't stand out as a favorite, but when I heard it in context with a bunch of other music, it just sounded so GOOD.

Another interesting aside: After Olivia's bit, my son turned to me and said, "She didn't look too happy to be there." I said something about how it was probably emotional for her talking about George, no matter how many years had passed -- but to myself, I had to agree that she didn't really seem interested in being there. In fact, when Jools asked her if the albums sound better with the remastering, she kind of stammered and said, "Well, they tell me they do!"

 

It may eventually grow on you. I bought it years ago..gave it two or three listens and then forgot about it for years. I came back to it about a year ago and strangely enough, I like it. I just wish it ended with a better track than legs

 

Brainwashed is nestled in that group and towards the top for me.

 

yes indeed.

 

Well, it's all a matter of taste, of course. Living in the Material World is just too preachy and ponderous for me to bear, though it has its moments. So I think I'd swap Brainwashed for that one. Personally, 33 1/3 is my favorite George album, even over the sacred All Things Must Pass.

 

I thought that too when I watched it yesterday, which surprised me since Jools Holland is a friend of theirs. My guess is that it was a combination of this being more of a Dhani project, and the fact that Olivia, like George, feels uncomfortable in those situations and being the center of attention. She always looks nervous when she makes appearances at award shows.

 

After living with these albums for a few weeks now, I think I can make my assessments.

I was expecting Dark Horse to be a gem, and Extra Texture to be tolerable at best. Well, surprise surprise, I found almost the opposite. Dark Horse has some great tunes, but the rest of it is middling. Legs notwithstanding (haha), ET is a solid affair. The arrangements are pretty lush, the lyrics are strong. It feels like LITMW's pop-music cousin. George was trying to do something different with Dark Horse, and I don't think it worked. If he wanted to be more slick and fun and pop, well, it didn't gel too well. I think in that vein, he did much better with 33 & 1/3.

It's nice after all these years to enjoy his whole discographical story. I now understand all trial and error that came after LITMW and before his first two excellent Dark Horse Records albums.

 

The question to all folks here - what are the best LP pressings for both? Extra Texture in particular?

 

I have a question for people who consider LitMW George's best album or have it in their top 3 - how do you feel about the lyrics? I find it interesting how a person's favourite George album says something about which part of his personality appeals to them most. In LitMW's case, it usually attracts people who are more into his spiritual side, but there are also a lot of people who love it for the strong musicianship, and I've noticed the lyrics are something which put many people off the album on this forum. I was wondering if those who consider it a favourite love it despite the lyrics or if they are part of why you consider it so good.

 

Material World isn't in my top three (probably top five), but I'll answer anyway! I think it's a very strong album, and kind of represents George's version of a "Spector" production -- still very lavish production, but without most of the reverb and bombast. Lyrically, I think most of it is very personal, and while most of the songs deal with existential issues, I think it's just a couple of tracks that get it labeled as a super-religious album. Personally, the most off-putting is "The Lord Loves The One (That Loves The Lord)" -- you pretty much know exactly what this song is all about from the title, and you're either going to accept it or not. I love the music of the song, but lyrically it's just a little too strident, too accusatory. On the other hand, you could see the title "The Light That Has Lighted The World" and think, "Here we go again, Hare Krishna!" -- but that's not really what the song is about. It's about George himself, and how he as grown and how his spirituality has separated him from the people he used to know. It's as confessional as any Lennon song, but because of the spiritual angle it gets called one of George's "religious songs."

Other songs on LITMW that usually get labeled "religious" or "preachy" are tracks like "The Day The World Gets Round" and "That Is All" -- but although there's a spirituality at play in almost all the album's tracks, I think these in particular were more informed by George's involvement in the Bangla Desh situation, and his increased contemplation of the world's problems. Notably, George sings "Our love could save the day," and not "Only Krishna can save the day." I also think that there are several songs on the LP that sound overly mournful, and where George really stretches his voice beyond its natural limits, like the otherwise beautiful "Who Can See It" and the Ronnie Spector track "Try Some Buy Some." On top of these other issues, the album's centerpiece title track is very long, and awkwardly shoe-horns the title line into its galloping beat, which might make it another love-it-or-leave-it song for some listeners.

For me, the album is anchored by two incredible pop songs ("Give Me Love" and "Don't Let Me Wait Too Long," he said rather obviously), and one gorgeous ballad ("Be Here Now"). The lyrics of those three tracks all have a spiritual angle, but aren't confrontational or "shaming" the listener into believing in anything other than love and peace (man). I don't think I ever appreciated the full beauty of "The Light That Has Lighted The World" until I heard the amazing acoustic demo on Early Takes, Vol. 1. Personally, I love "The Day The World Gets Round" and "That Is All"; George struggles to make it through "Who Can See It," but it's a lovely, heartfelt sentiment. The only songs on the album I generally shun are "Sue Me Sue You Blues" (a pretty depressing hoedown, and too "material" for the album), "The Lord Loves The One" (too preachy, imo), and "Try Some Buy Some" (written for Ronnie, not suited to George, imo).

 

LITMW is now in my Top 3 (at #3, after ATMP and CLOUD NINE). I consider it a very good album, though I didn't always feel like that, and it took me until I got older to personally enjoy it. As to how I feel about the lyrics - many of them are very spiritual and so am I, so I do tend to relate to much of them, if not every single word (I think I like the tune of "The Lord Loves The One (That Loves The Lord)" more than the words, though I am a believer). In that spiritual area, I'd say the single "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)" speaks to me more.

"Be Here Now" is something I'm trying to do, as I come to terms with what's gone is gone and what is now -- is. It's a beautiful song with a wise theme, though I do find the past a most comfortable place.

"Sue Me, Sue You Blues" is interesting musically, but the sentiment is not something I relate to, and it's pretty much about George and his mates.

"Don't Let Me Wait Too Long" is a good one, and should have been a single.

"Try Some, Buy Some" is the one song that doesn't appeal to me from the album.

 

Sean, I was going to write a similar bit of text, but you've done it wonderfully for me. Thanks!

In brief: The lyrics for the 2 or 3 or 4 songs that can be construed as "heavy-handed" or "preachy" do not bother me at all, mostly because the music and vocals are done so well. George was singing deeply personal and honest songs on this album. So it all "feels" like George to me. And that's why I prefer LITMW to almost everything except All Things Must Pass.

Arnie

 

As I said in my earlier post, I listened to these albums recently and found my experience almost the same. I remember liking Dark Horse more in the past, but I could barely make it through the album now. It's just painful to listen to. ET is more tolerable (not GOOD, tolerable) and is at least a more cohesive work and sounds as if George put some effort into the songwriting and arrangements.

 

One other reason why I particularly love LITMW: Nicky Hopkins. He really shines on many of the tracks.

Arnie

 

Wow, you nailed my distaste for the album in the first highlighted sentence. All I have to do is look at the titles to some of these songs and I can conjure up George's grim dirge-like vocals in my head.

their thoughts in their heads manifest on their brow, like bad scars from ill feelings, they've themselves aroused - wow, doesn't that make you wanna sing along? The vocal is as awkward as the verbal phrasing!​

"Be Here Now" and "Who Can See It" and "That Is All" merge into some incredibly dull, MOURNFUL, slush in my mind. All three of those songs sound like the aural equivalent of suicide notes to me (at least Awaiting On You All had some PEP, along with the attitude). Throw in the arrogance of "The Lord Loves George Harrison Who Loves The Lord" and bits about how there are just "a few" with "the pure of heart" and they can be found bowing and praying ... and I actually start getting pissed off with His Georgeness.

As Sean pointed out "the material world" doesn't exactly roll smoothly across the tongue, so when he manages to use the phrase three times every five lines, it gets old - quickly! Don't Let Me Wait is too slight a tune (and lyric) for me to embrace. I do love the lead single, it's catchy and smart and the "Om" joke is well-done. But the rest of that album I dislike more and more with each passing year.

Apologies to @bewareofchairs, as he was looking for proponents of the album to speak up. But since they might have all killed themselves listening to such a dreadful collection of songs, I wanted to make sure he got at least one more response.

 

Usually, I'm a big fan of musicians who play economically. But when it comes to Nicky, more really is more. Great musician. His album The Tin Man Was A Dreamer was of course done at the same time, and with many of the same folk (George included!)