A Remix Of George Harrison’s Living in the Material World Doesn’t Fix What Isn’t Broken

A FLAWED YET LOVELY BEATLES SOLO ALBUM IS IN GOOD HANDS WITH PAUL HICKS

On 1973’s Living in the Material World, George Harrison’s capacity for subtlety began to elude him in earnest.

Six years earlier, he’d released “Within You Without You” on Sgt. Pepper’s — scolding, to be sure, but above all gorgeous, enveloping, and innovative. (Plus, the snickers at the end made it all land.) On the 1968 B-side “The Inner Light,” he channeled the Tao Te Ching with sweet poignancy. On other key songs I don’t need to name, he deftly threaded eros and agape through the same needle.

With 1970’s All Things Must Pass, Harrison shot out of the gate in the Debut Beatles Solo Album races, with its riotous, communal, gospel-church vibe. Though drenched in his sternly held Hare Krishna beliefs, the music felt like a sweet release. The balance held together.

George Harrison photo courtesy M.F.'s accountant, who was a friend of George's and producer of the "Concert For Bangladesh".

And then it started to wobble. Which brings us to Living in the Material World — sometimes ponderous, flecked with sanctimony, marred by a sense of lyrical overreach.

But where this high-on-his-own-supply phase would reach its nadir on 1974’s Dark Horse, Living in the Material World still shines brightly; it’s one of Harrison’s most beloved solo albums for good reason.

Where the Spectorian wind tunnel of All Things Must Pass sometimes proves exhausting to listen to, the pared-down band here — pianist Nicky Hopkins, electric pianist Gary Wright, bassist Klaus Voormann, drummers Jim Keltner, Ringo Starr, and Jim Gordon, tablaist Zakir Hussein — constitutes a breath of fresh air.

And now it’s remix time. Four years after All Things Must Pass got a Paul Hicks remix, Living in the Material World has followed suit via its 50th anniversary editions, released November 15 via Dark Horse Records and BMG.

When I dove in with the digital version, I found myself slightly disconcerted — and I typically love classic rock remixes. To be clear, it sounds unequivocally good in most reasonable senses — bolder, clearer, stronger. But I missed the patina — that dated, swimmy reverb that made me go gooey as a kid. Worse, it didn’t flatter Harrison’s shaky lyrical ability — that downslide in subtlety.

While every piano sweep and slide guitar curl gleamed like never before, the enhanced vocal mix shone a semi-harsh light on Harrison’s occasionally clunky sermonizing. (“So hard to move on/ When you're down in a hole/ Where there's so little chance/ To experience soul” — woof.)

At first, Hicks’ remix seemed to backfire; it was like washing a car only to expose the scratches and dents. For the first time in my life, I felt irritated by this classic album — one I’d theretofore turned to as a little psychological hideaway.

Thankfully, after many listens, this sensation largely abated. After all, I reasoned with myself, these are the songs, and this has been a flaw from the jump; none of it’s Hicks’ or the Harrison estate’s fault. All things considered, I can see this 2024 remix becoming my go-to when streaming Material World; after all, the original is right there whenever I need it.

Once the fresh Living in the Material World vinyl hit my doorstep, it was time to spin it on Tracking Angle editor-in-chief Michael Fremer’s fearsome system, against an original pressing. 

(Which I purchased at Elmwood Park’s EZ2COLLECT, which I’ll absolutely be using as a resource from here on. Shout out to Irv Lukin for helping me out when seemingly nobody else could; if you’re in North Jersey, his Beatles collection must be seen to be believed.)

When the needle struck the groove, whatever misgivings I had with the digital version evaporated; Hicks has improved on the original mix in subtle ways. “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth),” each piano sweep glistens like never before; Harrison’s voice is remarkably clarified. Where he could get a little crowded out before, he’s leading the band — the star of the show.

This remix similarly flattered “Sue Me, Sue You Blues.” Where the song typically, amiably thumps along, I couldn’t resist an air-drumming session. Every time the band dropped out, their instruments decayed gorgeously.

Unlike the digital version, the vinyl didn’t sound borderline too big and round; it sounded natural, spacious. The title track, I decided, where the galumphing band gives away to an Indian music section, would be the ultimate litmus test.

Again, Hicks nailed it. Sound-wise, “Living in the Material World” is a weak point on the original pressing; the galumphing band sounds wan and toothless. (Perhaps most criminally, the engineer seemed to treat the tabla as a drum, where it’s actually more analogous to a piano: so many rich frequencies were carelessly scooped out.) On the 2024 remix, every element — even the squeaky saxophone solo — has been improved.

(One caveat: the bass frequencies are very rotund here, more than you might be used to. On this, your mileage may vary. I would chalk it up to a 2024 problem — this trend is awfully pervasive these days — rather than some lapse in judgement on Hicks’ part.)

Another critical A-B track is “Be Here Now,” always my favorite Material World track, spellbinding in its stillness. Hicks, thankfully, didn’t mess up the vibe; it patiently and naturally blooms like the original, just with more depth and detail.

As far as those bonus tracks, found on DSPs and the Super Deluxe Edition: they’re fine, I guess — mostly tentative run-throughs sans real surprises. (The alternative version of “Try Some Buy Some,” which ditches the corny strings and highlights Harrison’s slide guitar, is an exception — a freshly opened window into a deep cut I barely think about.)

Which leads to the elephant in the room: unless you’re a devoted George Harrison fan, you probably don’t really need any of this. If you are, this is a lovingly crafted set — tastefully overseen by Olivia and Dhani Harrison — that’s absolutely worth picking up.

Just try to avoid some of Harrison’s lyrics, and get into the sound. That’s how you really experience soul.