George Harrison
Brainwashed (Capitol/Dark Horse) Despite stiff competition from his former bandmates, it’s George Harrison’s post-Beatles output that’s been the most steadfastly disappointing. Harrison’s final album, Brainwashed, doesn’t stray from the mid-tempo groove worn so deeply over the last quarter century, but thankfully, it veers away from its predecessors in at least one major way. Lyrically, Brainwashed finds Harrison showing interest in his work for the first time since 1973’s Living in the Material World. His words are oft as adept as the brief period during the late Beatle years and into his solo debut, All Things Must Pass, when his candle burned bright. Ironically, knowing that he, too, would soon pass brought out the best in Harrison. The title track is one of several that finds him at last displaying what he learned over the years from sometime partner Bob Dylan. Lines like “brainwashed by our leaders, by our kings and queens, brainwashed in the open, and brainwashed behind the scenes” are belted out with a sneer that recalls Dylan’s authority-questioning rockers like “License to Kill” and “Jokerman.” Elsewhere, Harrison sings the blues on “Rocking Chair in Hawaii,” shows off his underrated guitar skills on instrumental “Marwa Blues,” and throughout Brainwashed, reflects and opines on life and the afterlife with great understatement. The sad thing about Brainwashed is that for the first time in as long as one can remember, it leaves the listener with high hopes for what Harrison would have done next.
This article appears in November 22 • 2002.