The most Beatley of all the Beatles solo records-- the only one that attempts the sort of epic, life-changing grandeur that defined the Fab Four in their later years. While John was singing about himself and Paul was singing about cutesy crap (not really, but, you know), George-- at least on this record-- was talking about the world, and God, and life, and really really big things in general. He supplements his huge themes with some of the biggest, most multi-layered arrangements ever. "All Things Must Pass"... If John gave an album that title, it'd be a dirge-fest. For George, it's a celebration, a sweeping embrace of the totality of life, as well as the necessity of death.
Is there a song that's not good and meaningful here? The Dylan cover has the lamest lyrics on the record, and it still takes on a spiritual cast thanks to George's ridiculously gorgeous slide guitar work.
What the album is, essentially, is a bunch of variations on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"... Same stately style, same wailing guitars, same cosmic vision... Only here, the vision comes in colors, most of them bright, but a few even darker than we're used to from Mr. Don't Bother Me ("Isn't It a Pity" is like the beautifully sad flip-side to "Hey Jude").
Good for George!
