Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Right from 1970 onward, George Harrison has always made his albums with great songcraft and care. This box, while not perfect, delivers on many different levels and should be in the music library of all George Harrison fans as well as more-casual Beatles fans.
The DVD and book it is housed in are simply magnificent. How great is it to see footage of George live in Japan in 1991 with Eric Clapton! Seeing him play a stinging slide on tracks such as "Cheer Down" and "Cloud Nine" remind of his unbelievable talent.
(If only he had toured more than he did. But that's another story.)
The book is crafted, again with care, with beautiful and rare photographs and an interesting collage of news clippings from the era of 1974, when he launched Dark Horse Records. The notes by Rolling Stone's David Fricke help complete the package.
Of course, it is mostly about the music. The six albums are all wonderfully remastered, with CD booklets containing awesome rarely seen photos. Much more complete than the original CD reissues of the early 1990s.
Music-wise, the clean sound helps really bring home the sheer brilliance and multi-layered ear candy that are "This Song," "Beautiful Girl," "It's What You Value" from 1976's 33 1/3; "Love Comes to Everyone," "Blow Away" and "If You Believe," from 1979's self-titled album; "Mystical One" and "Unknown Delight" from the highly underrated Gone Troppo. There isn't enough time to go into the gems on 1987's Cloud Nine, or to run down the career-spanning gems delivered live with Eric Clapton on the Live in Japan SACD (Don't worry, it also plays on a standard CD player).
A slight negative is the lack and variety of bonus tracks: Almost all George Harrison fans know about the travesty of Somewhere in England, and the four rejected songs. One of those, strangely enough, is a bonus track on the excellent 33 1/3. But the other three are nowhere to be found. CAPITOL, PLEASE REMEMBER SONGS SUCH AS "Flying Hour," "Lay His Head" and "Sat Singing" ON ANY FUTURE ANTHOLOGY (WHICH HAS BEEN LONG-RUMORED)... Too bad "Cheer Down" didn't make it either. But at least there IS the Live in Japan version!
The olive green box with the distinctive top-opening lid is so beautiful, too. The 1974 photo of George, amid the leaves of God's nature which he adored, and the stunning Dark Horse logo really are awe-inspiring for Harrison fans and should open the eyes, and ears, of many other music fans who have always been reluctant to give the "Quiet Beatle" his due as a solo act.
The timing of this release also is great, following the acclaimed "Brainwashed" and "Concert for George" DVD (both highly recommended) and his Grammy for the pop instrumental "Marwa Blues." His induction in March into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a soloist can only help shine the light of awareness on even more people! To that, I can only say, "It's about time!" God Bless You George, Olivia and Dhani for this wonderful treasure that I will always cherish!!!
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Box set includes six CDs: Thirty Three & 1/3, George Harrison, Somewhere In England, Gone Troppo, Cloud Nine, and Live In Japan (SACD). Also includes The Dark Horse Years exclusive DVD, available only as part of this set. Includes 24 page booklet. DVD running time: 89 minutes, includes Dark Horse Feature, promo videos, previously unreleased live footage, and selections from the movie "Shanghai Surprise." Sound: Stereo except four concert pieces which are in 5.1 surround sound, in both Dolby Digital and DTS formats. DVD TRACKLISTINGS: 1. Dark Horse Feature 2. This Song 3. Crackerbox Palace 4. Faster 5. Got My Mind Set On You - Version I 6. Got My Mind Set On You - Version II 7. When We Was Fab 8. This Is Love 9. Taxman (from Live In Japan) 10. Cloud 9 (from Live In Japan) 11. Devil's Radio (from Live In Japan) 12. Cheer Down (from Live In Japan) 13. Shanghai Surprise 14. Someplace Else 15. Hottest Gong In Town
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