George Harrison's almost complete solo works at Apple Records

More than 10 years after the 7CD / 1DVD box THE DARK HORSE YEARS 1976-1992 (2004) with the Harrison Thirty Three & 1/3 albums (1976), George Harrison (1979), SOMEWHERE IN ENGLAND (1981) GONE TROPPO (1982), Cloud Nine (1987) and the double album Live in Japan (1992) comes now - long overdue - the "look-up" with the Apple YEARS 1968 - 75. In the box put as expected, the resulting still Beatles times Harrison solo albums Wonderwall Music (1968) and ELECTRONIC SOUND (1969) as well as All Things Must Pass (1970), LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD (1973), DARK HORSE (1974) and EXTRA TEXTURE (Read All About It) (1975) the first two in newly remastered and the last two albums did the first time in remastered form for All Things Must Pass and LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD new remasters were produced, so that the most recently published on CD versions from 2001 and 2006 are upgraded sound, particularly striking in All Things Must Pass, so the last is in acceptable sound quality on CD. But even the new remaster of LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD sounds because also mitigated in the heights, warmer than the remaster of 2006 almost like vinyl. THE CONCERT FOR Bangladesh is not included in this box, since no pure Harrison solo album.

About the total of 14 bonus tracks on the CDs and the content of the DVD is in other places, most detailed on the website of George Harrison, has already written everything, so I would not want to ruminate on this point (detailed list of bonus tracks but in the end my review). Just arrived: Unfortunately, there is not the awaited by many Harrison fans big hit in the form of further officially unreleased demos à la Early Takes: Volume 1 (2012) or work-in-progress versions of popular Harrison songs, the various bootlegs with just these, for example, from the All Things Must Pass sessions, now therefore need not be scrapped. At least are among the bonus tracks which for a Harrison-Werkschau definitely indispensable Bangladesh (Single, 1971), DEEP BLUE (B-side of the single Bangladesh), MISS O'Dell (B-side of the single Give Me Love (Give Me PEACE ON EARTH) (1973) and I DO NOT CARE ANYMORE (B-side of the single DING DONG, DING DONG (UK, 1974) and DARK HORSE (USA and D, 1974). Unfortunately, has not been considered by the back of the Album Version deviate (on All Things Must Pass) US Singlemix of My Sweet Lord, so that the Harrison solo retrospective 1968-1975 only almost, but unfortunately is not quite complete.

The on DVD located GIVE ME LOVE (GIVE ME PEACE ON EARTH) in the live version from the Tokyo Dome of 15 December 1991 there were already on the published in 2006 deluxe edition of LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD, here I would have actually even live recordings of WHAT IS LIFE, DARK HORSE, My Sweet Lord and IS NOT IT A PITY desired, everything namely Harrison solo songs from the Apple-years, who were on the set list of that tour in Japan and on LIVE IN JAPAN can be heard. The promo clip included on the DVD of Ding Dong, Ding Dong is unfortunately the only one George Harrison has produced during his years Apple.

All CDs of the Box are also available separately, but bought one at a total significantly more expensive. Who is only interested in the "Song" albums by George Harrison, but not at Wonderwall Music and Electronic Sound, which may nevertheless, due to the attractive price for the box to grab the box, these costs ie about the same as when you ALL THINGS would MUST PASS, LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD, DARK HORSE and EXTRA TEXTURE (READ ALL ABOUT IT) buy separately, also you get to the box next to Wonderwall Music and Electronic Sound even the DVD and the companion book.

As already said, the apple YEARS 1968-75 does not offer much more than the minimum that Harrison fans had expected. Maybe Olivia and Dhani have indeed a show and produce in the near future is another box, in the style of John Lennon ANTHOLOGY (1998), That would be nice!

Bonus tracks on Wonderwall Music
In The First Place (from The Remo Four)
Almost Shankara (previously unreleased)
The Inner Light (Alternative Instrumental Take the B-side of the single Beatles Lady Madonna) (previously unreleased)

Bonus Tracks on All Things Must Pass (the same as in the 2001 version)
I Live For You
Beware Of Darkness (Demo)
Let It Down (Alternative Version)
What Is Life (alternative mix of backing tracks)
My Sweet Lord (2000)

Bonus tracks on LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD
Miss O'Dell (bonus track already in the 2006 version)
Deep Blue (Bonus Track already in the 2006 version)
Bangladesh (new remix of Paul Hicks)

Bonus tracks on DARK HORSE
I Do not Care Anymore
Dark Horse (formerly Take) (previously unreleased)

Bonus track on EXTRA TEXTURE (Read All About It)
This Guitar (Can not Keep from Crying) ("Platinum Weird" version) (previously unreleased)