GEORGE HARRISON/EXTRA TEXTURE (Read All About It) PAS 1009 (-75) UK

His final for Apple and also the last original LP released by the label. As the story goes he was in a depressed state at the time following the breakup with Patti Boyd, bad reveiws and sales for his previous "Dark Horse" album and a disasterous 1974 tour he'd made with Ravi Shankar. After a period of religious doubts and increasing drug abuse he managed to buck up and when one of his signed Dark Horse label projects didn't show up at A&M studios in Los Angeles decided to use the booked time, completing a couple of half-finished song ideas while writing new ones as they went along. He produced himself with a called in backing crew of about twenty renowned musicians, including Klaus Voorman, Leon Russell, Billy Preston, Nicky Hopkins and Jim Keltner. All albums have their background, more or less tainting the final result, and I guess it was the sudden decision and relative lack of preparation that made this so good. The arrangements are simpler than before, making the melodies and messages more obvious and it's like he didn't have time to put on any religious armour. The problems handeled here are of a more worldly kind and it's laid down uncovered for all to see. I wasn't impressed at the time. Bought it because it was from a former Beatle on Apple and didn't give it much attention after first listen. But through the years it has grown on me and kept growing till I now consider it one of his absolutely best, second only to "All Things Must Pass" (in fact many of the cuts here could have embellished that, or any late Beatles album for that matter). "Tired Of Midnight Blue", "His Name Is Legs", "You" and "This Guitar (Can't Keep From Crying)" all magic to my ears. It didn't top any lists at release and wasn't embraced by all critics, but today it seems times and tastes have caught up and and the reception is a lot more favorable. So if you're just keeping it as a filler, like I did for many years, pull it out and give it a serious chance - you may be surprised. Premiere US (Apple SW-3420) came with die-cut title on sleeve. First UK had label as shown here, "textured" sleeve with picture inner and matrix etchings - "A PORKY NON PRIME CUT" side A/"OOH GEORGE YOU'RE SUCH A DARK HORSE LUV GEORGE" side B. (BÄ*) (ÄPLÄ*)(GÄÖ*)