ALBUM REVIEW: George Harrison - Electronic Sound

    George Harrison still had about a year before his real solo breakthrough in late 1970, although he was certainly one to enjoy branching out and trying new things - the previous year to this album, he released the second Beatles solo album, but the first one with any identifiable trace of an artistic vision. George's Wonderwall Music soundtrack is a relatively overlooked gem from his catalog with its rich Indian flavors and instrumental textures - compared to Paul's snooze-fest soundtrack for The Family Way, Wonderwall Music was bouncing full of life. By late 1968, though, Harrison's fascination had been drawn to the synthesizer - the Moog wasn't a new thing for pop music, and acts like The Doors and The Monkees had both utilized the instrument to creative means, but Harrison looked to make an album solely of Moog music (he would also sprinkle the instrument over The Beatles' next album, but more on that next time). The resulting album of electronic sound, aptly named Electronic Sound, is nothing more than a 40-minute noodle-fest on an instrument that Harrison had no idea how to play, although you could probably guess that from listening.

    Harrison was always one to branch out musically, but even a diehard George fan like me has to ask what could have possibly been on his mind when recording this album? Electronic Sound is only two songs long, each one with its own side, split across 40 minutes, and this ain't no Thick as a Brick. Harrison quite literally had no prior experience with playing with a Moog Synthesizer before this album, so it feels far more like listening to someone learn an instrument or practice for 40 minutes rather than a unique electronic album - I'm not expecting Daft Punk, but come on. Admittedly, some of the textures or feelings on the album are pretty unique, mainly on the first half's "Under the Mersey Wall", but it doesn't really work as... music. I'd argue that it isn't even as experimental or as avant-garde as John Lennon's Two Virgins album from the previous year, although I would still probably give this one the listen over that simply because some intrinsic factor makes it more enjoyable. Nevertheless, Electronic Sound gets fairly grating after the 20-minute mark, and although its not as stagnant an album as say Metal Machine Music it certainly does grate - I think maybe a third song could've helped it but I don't know. Maybe a better chorus on "No Time or Space" could've saved the song, too.

    There are a few Beatles solo albums that sit in pure infamy in my mind - every single one of them have made their own brand of truly abhorrent work, all it in their own special way, which is truly what makes them geniuses. Electronic Sound certainly doesn't lie with its title, and if we're to put it up to the standards of other awful Beatle solo albums it certainly beats out the worst of Lennon and maybe even the worst of McCartney (it's up in the air if I'd rather listen to this over Press to Play, but it's damn close). Still, Electronic Sound is an oddity at best and a throwaway at worst, and the absolute definition of a completionist only album. My only regret is not buying a copy of this album when I saw it at my local flea market - it was only five dollars, and that's a small price to pay for the best album to have on while fucking.

RATING: ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯

Listen to Electronic Sound.