George Harrison's Brainwashed revisited

A year after George Harrison died of cancer. Jeff Lynne & Harrison's son Dhani, released the posthumous album Brainwashed. I rate it perhaps 3rd in his solo discography. Even 15 years later.

Unlike some, I much prefer the tracks that sound like finished, polished records. Some songs are more sparsely produced, to me, they aren't as good, because his voice was so weakened from cancer. I appreciate them all, but I stack the good ones together, the rest are too demo for me, I like

1. Any Road
2. Rising Sun
3. Stuck Inside A Cloud
4. Marwa Blues
5. Horse To Water
6. Pisces Fish
7. Devil & Deep Blue Sea
8. Brainwashed

These not so much

1. Vatican P2 Blues
2. Run So Far
3. Looking For My Life
4. Rocking Chair In Hawaii
5. Never Get Over You
6. My Sweet Lord 2000
7. Ride Rajbun 1996

I like them all, but his voice on those last five, you can really hear the ravages of the cancer. They aren't Dylan esque, or hard rock, they are lovely pop songs, & they really needed strings, or beefed up vocals, to compensate

So that's my opinion what about yours ? Notice I stuck Horse To Water in there, which is a bonus track really, any other tracks that could have been used?

 

I think it's a great album, among his five best with some of the strongest lyrics he wrote, "Any Road" is a bit clever but not just, it's also wise. I love "Stuck Inside a Cloud", it's such a great song. I have no problem with his voice, it is what it is in relation to where he was in life.

 

You must have a different version of this album to me: mine doesn't contain Horse to Water or Ride Rajbun. Ignoring those two, you've pretty much split them the way I would (although I don't share the love of Any Road and Brainwashed you have).

 

George Harrison's version of "Blackstar". It's great.

His second best album after All Things Must Pass.

 

I think that it is a truly wonderful album, and easily in the same league as 'ATMP' and 'Cloud Nine'. George had stockpiled a great collection of songs and Dhani and Jeff followed his instructions and finished the album perfectly.

It is also a very moving and emotional album, considering when some of the songs were written, with George facing his own death with a lot of grace and dignity.

Song for song it is a very strong album, with George adding some great additions to his solo catalogue with the great 'Any Road', 'Looking For My Life', 'Stuck Inside A Cloud', 'P2 Vatican Blues', 'Marwa Blues', 'Rising Sun', 'Never Get Over You' and 'Run So Far' and the interesting title song.

 

I know it's not included on the album, but "Horse to the Water" is a favourite of mine. Always found it interesting how George wrote such sarcastic lyrics as he was approaching his death "I said 'Hey man this could turn out to be risky'/He said 'everything's ok' as he downed another bottle of whiskey".

 

I place it middle of the pack, preferring ATMP, LITMW, Dark Horse, 33&1/3, George Harrison and C9.

By far the stand out track for me is Looking For My Life, which would definitely make a comp of my favorite 20 solo Harrison tracks (Any Road is my rubber up)

 

I love this album too ("Pisces Fish" is my favorite). Can't help wondering precisely what state the songs were in when George passed - how many were just demos? I wonder how much "Jeff and Dhani" went into each track. Has that sort of specific info appeared anywhere?

 

His 2nd best record in my opinion....

 

One of my fave George albums. Like Queen's posthumous 'Made In Heaven' it could have been a bit dark and depressing, but they're not - I find them both really uplifting records. Been without my CD player for well over a year until finally managing to find the dosh to have it repaired around a month ago. 'Brainwashed' will get a play later today.

 

I remember being incredibly overcome with emotion around the time this came out. George's death was the first Beatle death I had experienced. (I was born a month before JL was taken from us). One year after his death which still felt so recent to me.

I totally absorbed myself with Brainwashed.

'Stuck Inside A Cloud' is hauntingly beautiful, as is 'Marwa Blues'.

'Any Road' is the perfect album opener on any of George's albums quite possibly.

Funnily enough my favourite track might be the Hoagy Carmichael tune 'Between The Devil and The Deep Blue Sea'!

The documentary included with the Deluxe Edition featuring Jeff Lynne & Dhani explaining why they polished the songs up is a great companion to the LP.

 

More like Blackstar is David Bowie's version of Brainwashed.

 

Great album. Only ATM is better in my book.

 

Apparently there were 25-30 songs in contention for this album, according to George, I believe in the Timothy White article.

Harrison didin't want the album over produced. You see Lynne & Dhani honoring that minimal production on one hand, but on about half the tracks, it's more fully produced. Problem is, I like the more fully produced songs, that strayed a little further from George's intent.

Perhaps 5-6 years ago, Olivia spoke of a Brainwashed 2. Type release.. all that aside, it's very tough for me to rate Harrison's albums, of his 10 studio albums of pop/rock, I'd have to rate this, minimum, in the top 3.

 

An excellent album to me from George and only second to "All Things Must Pass".
I did not take into account what he was going through as far as vocals are concerned when this first came out.
"Rocking Chair in Hawaii" is my favourite track on the album and was probably a struggle for him now that I think about it,
however the lyrics and his voice are spot on. Overall this album is true Harrison to me and a great one to go out on.
Very grateful to Jeff Lynne and Dhani Harrison for making it happen.

 

Doesn't have My Sweet Lord 2000 either.

 

You could also put I Live For You the bonus track from the 2001 version of All Things Must Pass on there. The drums on that are a dead giveaway. Also Dhani is credited with guitar on it. I always liked it. I would like to hear the original version without those drums. I do agree that some of the songs are not as good. I put the album right in the middle of the pack for George solo albums. It is what it is. I hope we get more. I have been waiting for the sequel for a while now.

 

Pretty sure this is before overdubs.

 

I really think 'P2 Vatican Blues' is a standout track. Very catchy tune.

Like this whole album but it came out at a time when people were starting to ignore albums and because of its heritage it got no airplay what so ever. It's a shame when you think of all of the former Harrison fans who probably had no idea that there was a new album out there.

 

I like the song & record also. But the production, is more restrained than say, Devil's Radio or Wreck of the Hesperus from cloud nine.

His voice is thinner & ravaged from cancer, & by more restrained production, I mean to say, less fully produced, less overdubbed. Because this is what George Harrison told Jeff Lynne & Dhani he wanted.

I love & appreciate all the Brainwashed tunes. But had Jeff Lynne been allowed to go bit further, I think I would like it even better. I feel the same way about 1/2 the songs on the album, with less production. It's still nice the way it is, more intimate for sure.

 

Except the lead guitar on this tune isn't Harrison. Sounds like Jeff Lynne. Seems like Harrison laid down the rhythm part first and never got around to doing the lead. Any road sounds like Harrison all the way on lead.

 

I just wish they would release the full video of George playing the songs from the Brainwashed album that is in George's archive.

Here's a sample I guess you have to click on the " Watch this video on YouTube" to see it)


The above link won't work on my phone except the link below:

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea »

 

I've thought it was one of his very best since day one.

 

I bought it the day it came out, and I've listened to it a lot since. I may listen to "ATMP" more often, but "Brainwashed" is not far behind.

My favourite tracks are "Looking For My Life", "Stuck Inside A Cloud", "Brainwashed" & "Any Road". There's not one song on it that I don't like. I Wish "Horse To The Water" had been on the album.