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Less than two years later, ‘Living In The Material World’ entered the UK charts on release at No. 2, and topped the US album chart. But overall expectations had been too high, and it was a major disappointment to some – not least the critics. Three decades later, it’s re-evaluation time. ... Read review
Draws on the tools of science and technology studies and economic sociology to ... more
reconceptualize the intersection of economy and technology, suggesting materiality - the idea that social existence involves not only actors and social relations but also objects - as the theoretical point of convergence.
Advantages: Has stood the test of time Disadvantages: Two or three weaker tracks
In 1973, all four former Beatles were competing with each other to prove they could deliver the goods – and consistently – without each other, if only to silence punters who still wanted them to get back together again and were almost sure they would. George Harrison had been the only one to top the UK singles charts (with ‘My Sweet Lord’), and had followed it up with the musically sublime Bangla Desh benefit concert, the Live Aid of 1971.
... ...Material World’ entered the UK charts on release at No. 2, and topped the US album chart. But overall expectations had been too high, and it was a major disappointment to some – not least the critics. Three decades later, it’s re-evaluation time.
Fact. Only one track is co-produced by Phil Spector, who had been responsible for the massive wall of sound on George’s 1970 triple album (and many years later double CD), ‘All Things Must ... more
In 1973, all four former Beatles were competing with each other to prove they could deliver the goods – and consistently – without each other, if only to silence punters who still wanted them to get back together again and were almost sure they would. George Harrison had been the only one to top the UK singles charts (with ‘My Sweet Lord’), and had followed it up with the musically sublime Bangla Desh benefit concert, the Live Aid of 1971.
Less than two years later, ‘Living In The Material World’ entered the UK charts on release at No. 2, and topped the US album chart. But overall expectations had been too high, and it was a major disappointment to some – not least the critics. Three decades later, it’s re-evaluation time.
Fact. Only one track is co-produced by Phil Spector, who had been responsible for the massive wall of sound on George’s 1970 triple album (and many years later double CD), ‘All Things Must Pass’. The rest, George’s own production, features him with a much smaller, tighter band, and the stripped down sound has its pros and cons.
On the plus side, it allows the songs and in particular his guitar work to shine properly. On the minus side, his gentle voice sometimes needs that hefty sonic bedding that it doesn’t get here, particularly as some of the songs don’t quite make it, and he does verge towards preachiness at times. As he ruefully admitted, he only had to mention the words God or Lord in a lyric and a sharp intake of breath could be heard somewhere. (Of course, he might have got away with it if only he’d changed his name to Aretha Franklin).
Things start well with the gorgeously simple single ‘Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)’, with that crisp acoustic guitar intro and typical, gorgeously Harrisonesque lead guitar break. As the man said himself, it’s a kind of prayer. We may not find a better world, but we can all try a little harder. He may be less benign on the cynical track two, ‘Sue Me Sue You Blues’ – “bring your lawyer, I’ll bring mine, get together and we could have a bad time”. He’s tired of filling the lawyers’ pockets with the Beatle partnership fallout, he says, but it’s still a good song, not least with the sturdy organ and semi-jazzy electric piano proving the perfect backdrop to his slide guitar.
‘The Light That Has Lighted The World’ is mainly acoustic, a gentle, confessional song about change – “I’ve heard how some people have said that I’ve changed, that I’m not what I was”. Pleasant, but a little insubstantial. It’s followed by ‘Don’t Let Me Wait Too Long’, more or less the only secular love song on the record, a sprightly up-tempo folksy-country rocker, with crisp acoustic and lead guitars intro reminiscent of early Eagles (‘Take It Easy’ or ‘Lyin’ Eyes’). Next comes ‘Who Can See It’, back to prayer mode, lyrically a kind of exorcising the ghosts of those days when he “played toeing the line”. Another song that might have sounded a little dirgey without that strings arrangement that brings it all to a crescendo.
Despite the rather ominous title, the title track itself is another of the album’s high spots. No strings, but a tight funky band adding more jazzy piano and saxes to George’s slide guitar, tell of the problems of being in the material world and facing the spiritual sky – with a reference in the lyrics to meeting John, Paul and ‘Richie’. (Ringo Starr shares drum duties with Jim Keltner throughout – neither John nor Paul put in an appearance). The bluesy change in tempo at the very end brings it to a neat full stop.
‘The Lord Loves The One’ is another song that sounds far better than that hymn-like title might lead you to expect. Mid-tempo, and it’s probably one of the best performances he ever put in on guitar on any of his solo work. It’s followed by ‘Be Here Now’, instrumentally the most simple, with acoustic guitar and a drone played on the tanpura, a kind of meditation prayer. The title and some of the lyrics are adapted from the book ‘Be Here Now’ by Baba Ram Dass, and also inspired a certain Manchester group for an album title years later…
‘Try Some Buy Some’, the only Phil Spector co-production, is a return to the big wall of sound. Waltz-tempo, and inscrutable lyrics that could be about drugs, religion or love, or maybe all three. Two final tracks follow, ‘The Day the World Gets 'Round’, and ‘That Is All’. They’re pleasant enough, if a shade too dirge-like and earnest.
On the whole, this album still stands up well. Three tracks don’t really cut it for me – and I speak as someone who plays George Harrison on record for pleasure almost as much as any post-Beatles work by the other three former members put together. But the rest of it is pretty well up to standard. After the massive sound of ‘All Things Must Pass’ it may sound astonishingly simple, but musically and songwise it’s just as good, or at any rate not far behind – without the padding that made ‘ATMP’ so overwhelming at first.
Note – the current CD release corresponds exactly to the original 1973 album. Shortly before his death in 2001, George was planning to issue a remastered version with additional bonus tracks of this and his other two mid-70s albums, a project which may be currently ongoing but with no definite schedule or date as yet.
Available from Amazon and WH Smith online at £12.99, which seems to be similar (or maybe £1 less) than high street prices.
Product Information for "Living In The Material World - George Harrison" »
Product details
Title
Living In The Material World
Performer
George Harrison
Genre
Rock & Pop
Release Date
10/1991
Recomended Retail Price
16.99 GBP
Original Release Year
1973
Label / Distributor
Parlophone / EMI Operations/CEVA Logistics
Engineer
Phillip McDonald
Producer
George Harrison; Phil Spector
Pieces in Set
1
Studio / Live
Studio
Stereo
Stereo
Format
Performer
EAN
77779411023
Catalogue Number
CDP 7941102
SPAR code
AAD
Additional notes
Album Notes
Personnel: George Harrison (vocals, guitars); John Barnham (strings); Jim Horn (saxophone, flute); Nicky Hopkins, Gary Wright (keyboards); Klaus Voorman (bass); Jim Keltner, Ringo Starr (drums); Zakir Hussein (tabla). Additional personnel: Jim Gordon (drums on "Try Some Buy Some"). Recorded at Apple Studio, London, England All songs written by George Harrison. On his first studio album since the artistic and commercial triumph of his 1970 solo debut, Harrison opted to produce himself rather than continue his association with producer Phil Spector. Boasting an intimate, organic sound that is far-removed from Spector's wall-of-sound production of ALL THINGS MUST PASS, LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD shows a more reflective, acoustic-oriented side of the ex-Beatle. The album opens on a high note with Harrison's number one hit "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)," a gorgeous, soaring pop song that is a perfect showcase of Harrison's earnest vocals and distinctive slide guitar playing. Though none of the other songs on the album are quite as spectacular as "Give Me Love," there are many excellent tracks, including the Beatlesque "Don't Let Me Wait Too Long" and "Sue Me, Sue You Blues," a biting commentary on the Beatles' business problems circa 1973, which features Ringo Starr on drums and some exceptionally potent slide guitar from Harrison.
Album Reviews
Rolling Stone (7/19/73, p.54) - "...the most concise, universally conceived work by a former Beatle since PLASTIC ONO BAND...Harrison's plaintive vocals and gently weeping guitar contribute immeasurably...the album stands alone as an article of faith, miraculous in its radiance..."
Titles on disc 1
1.
Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)
2.
Sue Me Sue You Blues
3.
Light That Has Lighted The World
4.
Don't Let Me Wait Too Long
5.
Who Can See It
6.
Living In The Material World
7.
Lord Loves The One (That Loves The Lord)
8.
Be Here Now
9.
Try Some Buy Some
10.
Day The World Gets 'round
11.
That's All
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Listed on Ciao since
07/10/2004
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