 "5 Stars are not enough!" | 2008-09-10 |
| - Reviewed By User: A265K3Z0NNMUOF |
George's final album and probably his finest overall. I love guitars, ukeleles, and clear sounding classic rock. With lyrics rivaling Bob Dylan's and Georges inward looking spiritual insights 'Brainwashed' is my favorite Beatle solo album. It took 15 years to complete in Harrison's home studio with help from Jimmy Lee Keltner and Jeff Lynne. I play this cd sparingly since I suspect it will have to be enjoyed over the balance of my life time.
I've read that Dhani Harrison and Jeff Lynne have another album's worth of unissued material. What are they saving it for? |
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| "An Excellent Album (Yes, I said Album)" | 2008-08-02 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3BQ53OZLLSTOB |
| This is a great album! I think it is easily George's second best album and maybe even his very best. It is hard to compare it to All Things Must Pass because it was a "classic" album of a different time period. ATMP is great, but I don't listen to it repeatedly as I do "Brainwashed". If you love George or The Beatles, you should already own this album (CD). George was great and he left a wonderful gift for everyone. |
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 "I liked it" | 2008-03-30 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2L654ATGUCC5A |
| Releasaed after his death it has a familiar Harrison sound. An enjoyable album to cap the career of a great musician. |
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| "A Fond Farewell to George Harrison" | 2007-12-31 |
| - Reviewed By User: A33Y11434WD5HH |
While not as prolific as MacCartney, George made solid, thoughtful albums. Many of his songs featured distinctive near-celestial chords and rhythmical passages. This posthumous album was obviously not quite finished. However, it has some wonderful highlights even though one can detect the strain in the voice at times, which is sad.
George was no people-pleaser when he wrote his own songs as a solo artist. His cutting political and social commentaries were also present on this recording, including his dig at the corrupution of the papacy ("P2 Vatican Blues") and key aspects of the establishment ("Brainwashed").
Favourite tracks include "Any Road", "Looking for my Life", "Rising Sun", "Stuck inside a Cloud" and "Never get over You".
Objectively, a boderline 4 stars rating from me.
See you in the 851st dimension, George. |
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 "Just okay" | 2007-11-01 |
| - Reviewed By markofcain |
(3.5 stars)
While it's always hard to fairly judge a posthumous album, I personally felt kind of disappointed by this one. Like most albums, it did seem a bit better after multiple listens, but it's not an album that has grown on me so much I'd consider it a favorite. We all know that George never made any album that topped ATMP, but even apart from that unique masterpiece in a class all by itself, this still isn't what I would consider one of his best strongest solo albums. All of his other solo albums that I've heard so far (as of the date of this writing, I still have yet to hear 'Gone Troppo' and 'Thirty-Three & 1/3') have made me feel something, stirred up emotions and feelings. Even the awful 'Extra Texture' made me feel horror and embarrassment at how bad it is. But this album, by and large, just doesn't move me. It's what I'd consider just okay, not awful and not fantastic. Although perhaps if Jeff Lynne hadn't fouled up the production so much, I would like it more.
The main reason I just don't feel any strong feelings towards this album is because so many of the songs are at a rather boring mid-tempo pace. A couple of mid-tempo numbers might have been okay, but on an entire album full of them, they can start to sound all the same after awhile, though if they came up separately on the radio or a play list I don't think most of them would feel so uninspired and unoriginal. A lot of them sound like they'd be better-suited to an entirely different artist, though again, this may in large part be due to Jeff Lynne's overproduction. This man should stick to what he knows and stop trying to be a record producer. While he did do a good job producing 'Cloud Nine,' that production style just fit with the songs, and it was after all the Eighties. Even the songs that do have some really nice lyrics, like 'Pisces Fish' (which I wish I could like more given the lovely lyrics), are compromised by this boring mid-tempo pace. Very few of these songs actually go somewhere and have hooks and catchy lyrics.
However, I do like some of the songs on the album. "Any Road" is easily the best track, and is the perfect opener. It's got a catchy chorus, great lyrics, great hooks, an upbeat mood, and actually goes somewhere. "Marwa Blues," the instrumental, is another of my favorite tracks. It's really beautiful and atmospheric. Others I really like are "Looking for My Life" (one of the few songs that has a catchy chorus and hooks), "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" (a really fun upbeat cover song), and the title track. Since I'm a very spiritual person myself, I love the song's lyrics about our search for and relationship with the Divine. The Hindu chanting at the end is also very moving and powerful. I sort of like "Pisces Fish," but I just can't like it as much as I'd like to given the mid-tempo pace and the absence of any real hooks. Unfortunately, the rest of the album is cluttered with the abovementioned mid-tempo songs that just never go anywhere musically or lyrically, like "Stuck Inside a Cloud," "Rising Sun," and "Run So Far." My least-favorite song is probably "Last Saturday Night." I'm kind of disappointed to learn a bunch of these songs were leftovers from years ago instead of more recent ones from the late Nineties and early Aughts. The liner notes also left a bit to be desired. I would have appreciated some notes on the making of the album, not just lyrics and the beautiful dedication.
Still, this album does seem very heartfelt and genuine, and is at least a whole other level above 'Extra Texture.' It's not an album I see myself returning to again and again like with some of his other solo albums, but it isn't the worst way to kill some time. And in spite of the overall mid-tempo mood, there are some true gems hidden in here. I get the feeling that there was a much better album in here waiting to be let out, but given the usual problems associated with putting together a posthumous album and coupled with Jeff Lynne's typical production values, it just wasn't brought to its full potential. |
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| "The "Quiet Beatle's" Amazing Legacy" | 2007-08-25 |
| - Reviewed By brucescotto2 |
Much has been made about the fact that Brianwashed was completed by George's son Dhani. Actually Jeff Lynn, long-time Harrison producer, collaborator and fellow Wilbury had more to do with completing the project than Dhani Harrison. None-the-less, the finished product speaks for itself and in my opinion stands alongside other outstanding Harrison albums such as "Livng In The Material World", "33 & 1/3", and "Extra Texture".
"Any Road" is a minor George Harrison masterpiece, written as only he could have, expressing how life's twists and turns take you on unexpected journeys and adventures. It's the type of song that very easily could have been performed by The Wilburys and is indelibly stamped by Jeff Lynns stalworth rockablliy production style. The title track Brainwashed, like "Taxman" and "Sue Me Sue You Blues" represents George at his satirical and synical best. While "Devil & The Deep Blue Sea" is a light hearted romp evoking a kind of English Music-Hall nostalgia. George loved to play the ukealale and here he gets an opportunity to showcase his affection and prowess on the uke.
Other reviewers have been harsh in their critisim of Brianwashed. Many feel it sounds "unfinished" and is not up to Georges' high standards. I disagree. Much of the warmth and deep spirtualality that were tradmarks of Harrison's finest works are evident throughout. While it may fall short when compared to "All Things Must Pass", Brainwashed is hardly a throw-away and deserves to be part of the "Quiet Beatle's" amazing legacy. |
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| "This I GReat" | 2007-07-27 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3GDAFMZKY0Z7V |
| I love this CD it has a lot of nice songs on it. there's one bad word in Brainwashed. But it is great other than that |
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| "Last effort" | 2007-07-24 |
| - Reviewed By User: AQK5N47UDA9R0 |
What sort of album would you expect from an all-time great recording artist who knew that this was going to be his last album?
This is that album. If you like George Harrison, then you owe it to yourself to listen to this. "Brainwashed" is George Harrison in his final essence, when he knew that he would only get one last chance. |
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| "Brainwashed" | 2007-06-04 |
| - Reviewed By User: ACZZGG30O4RD |
The debate as to which George Harrison album is the best is a debate that will rage until trumpets sound. Honestly, I have not heard all of the man's works, but from what I have heard, this Brainwashed album is mighty hard to beat.
"Any Road" begins this final George Harrison chapter with enthusiasm, and 'plenty of that guitar' as the man sayes. Nothing new or extravagant, just the good old kind of song that George was best at: sweet and simple. Next comes my favorite, "P2 Vatican Blues". Sounds like an old rock n roll song from the beginning of the era, but Harrison sings the lyrics in his own recognizable way and this track-too-short becomes an instant favorite. Sort of one of those unknown pieces that nobody knows about but which is ultimately always better that the greatest hits. "Pices Fish" is calm and seems contemplative to me. Among other favorites is #6 "Marwa Blues" which is totally instrumental and pleasant, and ukulalea laden "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea". "Stuck Inside a Cloud" is also very accomodating for George's unique voice.
On the whole, there could never be a better ending chapter to George Harrison's prolific life of music. A fine farewell if ever there was one, and for such a cheap buy, its just too good to pass up. I would suggest it even to novice Harrison listeners. Enjoy it forever. |
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| "A moving musical memoir, a must-have for lovers of fine pop music" | 2005-10-21 |
| - Reviewed By jsosa1234 |
There are very few instrumentals in the Beatles' ouevre (as solo artists or as a collective). "Marwa Blues" is quite possibly the loveliest of them all. It's a soft, lilting slide guitar melody floating over a cloud of soft percussion and strings. It's gentle and warm, and appearing midway through this album, it makes for a perfect center of gravity.
The other 11 songs on this album showcase the different facets of Harrison's personality quite nicely. Sardonic wit, gentle wisdom and boundless love are all couched in some of the best Harrison songs ever. His ukulele-driven cover of "The Devil and The Deep Sea" is a real charmer. This album is easily as good as any of Harrison's best work within or without the Beatles.
This album is like a wonderful farewell gift, a souvenir from a life's journey of love and discovery. |
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