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As a prerequisite to this review, please read Steve Stockman's March 2001 Pick of the Month feature on the re-mastered, re-packaged All Things Must Pas_. Stockman notes that the breakup of the Beatles allowed George Harrison, the Fab Four's guitarist, to compile his songs that never made it to the group's albums into All Things Must Pass, the unequivocal masterpiece from the man who will always be known as "the quiet" or "the mystical" Beatle.

I'll go a step farther to underscore that Harrison was bothered by being pushed for "product" in post-Beatles years, and he even sang about it ("Blood from a Clone" and Ringo Starr's final top 40 hit, "Wrack My Brain"). Being forced to complete a project, his nadir was most certainly Dark Horse, recorded while in the throes of laryngitis. He took a sweet amount of time after _Somewhere in England_ to complete the perfectly delightful Cloud Nine and had tremendous amounts of fun with the Traveling Wilburys. The latter two projects were collaborations with Jeff Lynne (formerly of Electric Light Orchestra).

And to the present and Brainwashed, Jeff Lynne has made two things clear: the project was incomplete, and Lynne -- as producer along with Harrison and George's son Dhani -- added much to _Brainwashed_ when he surmised George wanted the project "raw." I immediately expected lots of "When We Was Fab," but the closest this collection comes to that endeavor is "Rising Sun," which borrows heavily from "Blue Jay Way."

There are elements about Brainwashed -- particularly from the point of view of Harrison and/or Beatles fans -- that will evoke tremendous emotions. From the get-go, "Any Road" is musically and lyrically one of the brightest, most upbeat moments we have ever heard from Harrison. Embattling cancer while writing many of these songs, Harrison is probably as introspective as he had wanted to be at this point. A lyric from this song that seems to sum up the entire project very well is "But oh Lord, we've got to fight with the thoughts in the head with the dark and the light. No use to stop and stare. And if you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there."

It shouldn't surprise me, but this is Harrison's project where he uses the word "Lord" and "God" in so many songs, often reverently, and sometimes lightly (but never in vein). I surmise Harrison knew these were going to be his last songs and was indeed singing to God (for anyone new to Harrison, he was still deeply devoted to the Hare Krishna faith). On the other side of the emotional track is the title track, which personally maddens me in trying to decide whether he's serious, joking or if this is a lighthearted swipe at John Lennon's "Working Class Hero." The song segues into a fade-out that sounds like it's straight from Wonderwall Music.

For the fan of Harrison's beautiful slide guitar, Brainwashed is a requirement, not an option. The best news about this project is that the slide guitar is prominently featured on all songs, with exception to "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" (yes, the Harold Arlen/Ted Koehler song; Jools Holland plays piano on this one!). Lynne's production is not overpowering, and for the most part, the band is George, his son Dhani Harrison (guitars and backing vocals), Lynne (the remainder), and drummer Jim Keltner.

There are wonderful moments here: the aforementioned "Any Road" and "Devil and the Deep Blue Sea," along with "Pisces Fish," the instrumental "Marwa Blues," and upbeat "Stuck Inside a Cloud." For the most part, Brainwashed reminds me of the 1979 self-titled George Harrison (with "Blow Away"), a very solid but not ground-breaking work. Harrison did leave us with a good parting gift in Brainwashed.

A limited edition box set, including a "making of the album" DVD single is available.

Olin Jenkins   December 4, 2002

Since George Harrison's death last November, Jeff Lynne and George's son Dhani have been brushing up the demos the former Beatle left behind. At last, they are released and in keeping with the man filled with sweet guitar, humor,  integrity, and spiritual depth... 

It is hard to remember so much fuss for the release of a Beatles solo album, never mind one from George Harrison, in nigh on a quarter of a century. Sadly Harrison had to die before it was to see the light of day, driven faster and with more purpose by his long time friend, fellow Wilbury and producer Jeff Lynne along with Harrison’s only heir, his son Dhani. Dhani has said how in his 24 years on the planet his dad has always been a gardener! That this album took fifteen years to follow up his brilliant Could Nine (if you don’t count two Travelling Wilbury’s albums, a double Live In Japan and a Best of the Dark Horse Years) that brought him back to the very top of the charts with its single "Got My Mind Set On You," it leaves you wondering how he went about assembling the demos that were left to be polished off or polished up as Lynne has confessed to doing. 

And yes, there could be no Jeff Lynne without that comfortable cushion production but though it is well in evidence here, I do think, he has compromised a little. The story goes that Harrison wanted more of a demo feel and that Lynne couldn’t just leave things alone but it might just be that had Harrison have lived to fight over it this might be the place they wouldn’t have ended up. Yes, there are a few snatches of ELO whooshes as in "Rising Sun" and he has certainly given a gentle bed for Harrison’s trade mark guitar to lie but he has not over cooked it as some might have feared (their apprehensions might even be making them hear things that are not even here!). All in all it is that unmistakable guitar playing that is allowed to shine and remind us of what we have lost. Indeed, a decade and a half or not, this is a timeless follow up to Cloud Nine and there are traces of all that is best about the Harrison solo years. 

The looseness not very common in Jeff Lynne’s canon is evidenced from the very beginning when a few scouse words from George introduces the shuffling almost skiffling opener "Any Road." There is a live band feel to "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" a thirties standard originally aired on British television way back in 1991 and including Jools Holland on piano linking the album to Harrison’s last release before his death, a song on Holland’s Small World: "Big Band." Here as on most of the album there is a celebratory, humorous and light feel to the proceedings. This is not gloomy posthumous stuff but neither is it frivolous. Harrison has never been throwaway when it comes to making music nor has he ever been happy just sitting back and putting his philosophical feet up. 

We are treated to exactly what we might expect from George Harrison’s last statement to the world. As always it is not as lyrically smooth as his late mate John, nor as melodically sweet as his old pal Paul but it has spadefuls (to use a George gardening term!) more spirituality, humor and integrity than the more esteemed former colleagues. There is that familiar quirkiness to Harrison’s poetry. He uses clumsy words that no one else would even attempt and yet he can come up with a few cracking rhyming couplets and overall the content is so personal and conversational that words are just a vehicle to saying so much more. 

On "Pisces Fish" we are led into a false sense of idyllic security in the opening line “Rowers gliding on the water.” Seconds later we are shaking our heads to rewind the next line and then are smashed across the cerebral ear with that dry wit that wakens the soul from dreaming in some bubble ­ “Canadian geese crap along the bank.” You’ve got to smile and then we are led into similar pastoral images ending up with chains tangled around cranks and “the churchbell ringer’s tangled in his rope.” The conclusion of the sermon is the need for serenity to find that which lies beneath the madness of our world.

That too has been the Harrison bee in the bonnet since he discovered eastern mysticism in the mid sixties and found some way of chanting his way beyond the material world to find some peace on earth. As his last will and testimony we are treated to lots of God in the mix. Indeed there is little else that has any consequence. The album begins with him trying to navigate “through the dirt and the grime” and rightly suggesting we need some kind of destination to aim for or else:

But oh Lord we’ve got to fight 
With the thoughts in the head with the dark and the light
No use to stop and stare
And if you don’t know where you’re going
Any road will take you there

In between the top and the tale we are given some serious issues to come to terms with as to how we are leading our lives on the planet and most importantly about our own sense of worth and identity and place of our hope if we can find any. Mind you he did say “Everything else can wait but the search for God…” 

A conclusion? Well up until there were five essential George Harrison albums ­ All Things Must Pass, Living In the Material World, 33 & 1/3, George Harrison, and Cloud Nine. Add Brainwashed, as good a Beatles solo album as there has been in quite a time. It is not All Things Must Pass but indeed they must and have so as goodbyes go this is as good a biography as you might get of the Beatle who refused to be brainwashed. 
                                                                                               
Steve Stockman  12/4/2002