George Harrison was dubbed the “quiet Beatle,” but he began his post–Fab Four career with a bang, releasing 1970’s chart-topping three-LP All Things Must Pass, which some fans and critics consider the best solo album ever released by any member of the quartet. He followed that with another massively successful triple-disc collection, 1971’s Concert for Bangla Desh, which features his performances at that charity event and ones by Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, Billy Preston and others. Those albums raised high expectations for Harrison’s second post-Beatles studio release, 1973’s Living in the Material World, which he wrote and produced. (He shares production credits on one track with Phil Spector, who co-produced All Things Must Pass.)
The LP, newly reissued on Nov. 15, 2024, in a variety of 50th-anniversary editions, gave Harrison yet another win. Like All Things Must Pass, it earned laudatory reviews and rose quickly to the top of the charts. It also spawned a #1 single, “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth),” a song that sounds as if it could have fit on All Things Must Pass.
So do many of the other tracks, which isn’t surprising. Though Living in the Material World features a less elaborate production than All Things Must Pass and employs far fewer musicians, it shares the earlier album’s focus on Harrison’s Hindu spiritual pursuits, and it relies on players who appeared on the prior LP, among them Spooky Tooth’s Gary Wright on keyboards, Starr and the ubiquitous Jim Gordon on drums, and Klaus Voormann on bass. Also on hand are famed keyboardist Nicky Hopkins and sax and flute player Jim Horn, as well as John Barham (strings), and Indian classical musician Zakir Hussain (tabla).
It’s a mostly excellent record. “Sue Me, Sue You Blues” seems musically and lyrically out of place here, and overall, the album is arguably not quite as much of a triumph as All Things Must Pass. But the lion’s share of the record is characterized by solid compositions and first-rate musicianship by all concerned. Harrison’s slide and acoustic rhythm guitar is outstanding, and his vocal work includes some of his best.
The most affordable of the new 50th-anniversary editions, which comes with a 20-page booklet and a poster, features two CDs. The first offers a nicely remixed copy of the original record while the second contains previously unreleased alternate and demo versions of the album’s 11 songs, among them acoustic readings of “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)” and two other tracks. Here, too, is the lighthearted “Miss O’Dell,” the B-side of the “Give Me Love” single, which has also served as a bonus track on previous reissues of the album.
Other 50th-anniversary configurations of the record include a one-CD edition, a two-LP vinyl version, and a “super deluxe” limited edition (unaudited by this reviewer). That last package delivers two LPs and two CDs, the second of which adds a song called “Sunshine Life for Me (Sail Away Raymond)” that features members of the Band.
Also in the box are a seven-inch single with two versions of that tune, a 60-page hardcover book, and a Blu-ray with Dolby Atmos mixes of the original album and all the other tracks. This “super deluxe” box will set you back about $175—not chicken feed but, hey, we’re living in the material world.
The various editions are available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.
Related: Our Album Rewind of the original release of Living in the Material World
A top editor at leading consumer and trade magazines for more than 40 years, Jeff has interviewed dozens of musical luminaries, including Bruce Springsteen, Steve Van Zandt, Roger McGuinn, John Sebastian, Wolfman Jack, Tommy James, Tom Waits, the Righteous Brothers, and the members of Steely Dan.
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