Extra Texture (1975)


 
1. You 2. The Answer's at the End 3. This Guitar (Can't Keep for Crying) 4. Ooh Bab (You Know That I Love You) 5. World of Stone 6. A Bit More of You 7. Can't Stop Thinking About You 8. Tired of Midnight Blue 9. Grey Cloudy Lies 10.His Name is Legs (Ladies and Gentlemen)

 

Never had an album begun with so much promise and then drop in favor like a heavy brick. About the only thing really positive that you can say about this album is that it is so much better than his last release Dark Horse. The fact that this one is so lame really says unfavorable things about his last release, but one must look for good things wherever they may be possible.

The good things start off this record in a very strong light. It's almost as if he tried for two really good songs, had a potential for a third, but the creativity fizzled there, so he took the idea for a third song and spread it out over about seven. It's hard to listen to multiple spins on this record and not be able to differentiate between, say track #4 and track #7 for example.

But let's first give credit where credit is due. George starts off in fine fashion with the leadoff track You. it's so good (or maybe, perhaps because the rest of the record is so bad) that he even plays a snippet that also begins side two called A Bit More of You. Yep, he was getting desperate. It even sounds like he's ripping off his own stuff when you can clearly hear some similarities between this song and What is Life, one of his biggest numbers from All Things Must Pass. Speaking of ripping things off, all one has to do is look at the track called This Guitar (Can't Keep From Crying), and, well anyone that is a remote fan of The Beatles can tell what song he's copying there. And, yes, sadly he's copying it. It's not as good, but the similarities are strong.

The second song on the album, The Answer's at the End is really the only other highlight on the whole album. It has a very infectious melody, and some really good lead guitar playing from Mr. Harrison. After song two, the album fizzles. The last song is a "tribute" (I guess) to The Bonzo Dog Band drummer "Legs" Larry Smith. What it's doing here I haven't the slightest idea. The rest is mediocre as well. The songs are slow, tiring, lethargic and have no energy. They sound like songs you may hear a hired band play at a wedding - after most of the guests have left, and they've already played their collection of decent songs.

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