Early Takes Volume 1 is the soundtrack to Martin Scorsese’s recent documentary George Harrison: Living in the Material World. It sort of serves the same purpose as the Beatles Anthology discs of the late ‘90s, but whereas those collections were sprawling, Early Takes is pretty skimpy. At just ten tracks, it barely clears 30 minutes and offers nothing but a version of “Let It Be Me” and a home demo of Dylan’s “Mama, You’ve Been on My Mind” in terms of unfamiliar songs. Aside from an inessential take of “I’d Have You Anytime” with a rough vocal, the presentations are sufficiently unusual. Half the tracks are demos from the All Things Must Pass sessions. Stripped of Phil Spector’s Wagnerian production, these versions are certainly more intimate, if not as breathtaking as the ones on George’s solo debut. “All Things Must Pass” is the standout among these, recreating The Beatles’ loose run-through from 1969, though lacking Paul’s sublime gospel harmonies.
The real treasures of Early Takes are the less familiar songs that don’t have to vie with the fully realized versions from what may be the best album of the 1970s. “Woman Don’t You Cry for Me” loses the cumbersome white funk of the version from Thirty Three & 1/3 to shine as a joyful John Sebastian-style country blues. “Mama, You’ve Been on My Mind” reclines comfortably in that same rustic hammock. Best of all is that rendition of “Let It Be Me”. Indescribably delicate, gut-wrenchingly raw, it illustrates how George’s music could be so much more genuine than Paul’s and far less self-consciously ravaged than John’s. It is beautiful.
Unfortunately, along with the lack of tracks, there’s a lack of information on what’s here. Is that Ringo and Klaus Voorman accompanying George on those stripped demos of “My Sweet Lord”, “Awaiting on You All”, and “All Things Must Pass”? It sure sounds like them, but we can’t be certain. The dates of these recordings aren’t even provided.
Early Takes is slim overall, though what’s here is generally lovely. It would have been nice if we didn’t have to wait until Volume 2 to hear more of it.
Get George Harrison’s Early Takes Volume 1 on Amazon.com here:
Giles Martin said in an interview that "Let It Be Me" was recorded in 1983, and that he stripped "Mama You Been On My Mind" of several layers of synth and drum machines.
ReplyDeleteHere's my take:
http://everybodysdummy.blogspot.com/2012/05/george-harrison-16-early-takes.html
Thanks, Wardo. We seem to be on the same page regarding 'Early Takes'.
DeleteSo I've listened to this CD a few times, and I'm pretty convinced that on My Sweet Lord, Awaiting On You All, and All Things Must Pass, we are hearing Ringo and Paul on drums and bass respectively. Apart from the almost unmistakeable sound of the instruments, there's an incredibly Paul-like bass part on All Things, and can Ringo's snare drum and fills be any more signature? The timing would also fit: in early 1970, Paul, Ringo, and George got together for wha would be the last Beat;les recording session, to finish out I Me Mine. George's 1st solo album came out later that year, and it's totally possible that McCartney and Ringo might have given George a bit of thier time to lay down some skeletal demos for some new George tunes. Ringo was just a nice guy and would have done it if asked, and I bet with McCartney knowing his own solo album was about to be released, was feeling a little case of the guilts, and probably would have done it as a bit of a conscience clearing. Just my theory, but I just can't see that a session musician would have been wandering around on bass so freely during those tunes (especially All Things) and taking such liberties. The playing and experimentation on those three tracks shows a familiarity between musicians, at least to me, and having listened to countless bootlegs and demos from the Beatles, I'm pretty well convinced that we are listening to 3 out of 4 Beatles on those three tracks. Just my opinion. Liner notes would be great!
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