Album Reviews

Let's get directly to the point: the packaging of this almost $100 set is inversely proportional to the sound quality. The packaging is deluxe.

Live concerts first seen on DVD and Blu-ray and later released on audio-only formats can bring surprises. Sometimes what was musically compelling when seen turns out to be somewhat boring without picture. The Blu-ray surround sound set of this love fest/ tribute to George Harrison recorded at The Royal Albert Hall November 29th 2002—one year to the day of his passing (hard to believe that much time has passed), both looked and sounded spectacular. Many of the musical performances were unforgettable, including Ringo's "Photograph" co-written with Harrison, that took on a far different meaning.

From Anoushka Shankar's opening performance of a Ravi Shankar composition, backed by a large ensemble with choir to the closing "My Sweet Lord", "Wah Wah" and "I'll See You in My Dreams", it was a memorable, joyful yet melancholic evening featuring Harrison's musical friends Eric Clapton (who was also the musical director), Jeff Lynne (who produced the concert), Paul McCartney, Billy Preston, Ringo, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and others, including the pretty much unknown Joe Brown who was a dear friend of George's and who brought down the house with his versions of "Here Comes the Sun" and the closer "I'll See You In My Dreams".

The musicians in the backing band included Gary Brooker, Jim Capaldi, Jim Keltner, Albert Lee, Chris Stainton and Klaus Voorman among others and when the cameras scanned the band, it was great seeing "old friends"—not to mention fixing eyes on George and Olivia's son Dhani who at the time looked eerily like George. So, even if some of the performances were tentative and some just so-so, it was a riveting experience musically and sonically. All profits went to Harrison's Material World foundation.

The packaging of this vinyl set is superb. It includes a beautifully finished textured slip case box, in which are equally attractively packaged individual records (4) pressed on 180g vinyl at QRP and there's a thoughtfully produced 27 page full-sized booklet. The concert fits on 7 sides, so the 8th is a "sculpted" version of the Indian artwork concert "logo" (I'm sure there's a particular name for it but I don't know it).

The problem here is the sound: it is inexcusably terrible. All of the sparkle, detail, definition and excitement heard on the Blu-ray is gone, replaced by thick, congealed, dynamically compressed muck. There is no excuse for this mess. In fact, for $100, the Blu-ray or a DVD should have been included, but that's something else.

For an example of how good something like this can be, check out the Eric Clapton Slowhand at 70 (EV307399), a 3 LP plus DVD set that Eagle Rock Entertainment released a few years ago in a triple gatefold package, also recorded live at The Royal Albert Hall in which Clapton gives an exciting and inspired performance. One track from it is included in the AnalogPlanet Radio show Eric Claption Tribute. That one had lacquers cut by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering and the sound is equally spectacular both on the DVD and on vinyl. It's out of print and used prices are equally spectacular—around $300. That one is as good as this is awful. There's no excuse for the lousy sound, which may very well have been sourced from a CD. Whatever the source, it was either seriously degraded from the original high resolution files or mastering engineer Gavin Lurssen did something to it, or Ron McMaster, who cut lacquers did to make it an easy cut, or perhaps both plus whoever okayed the source material were all to blame.

Whatever or whoever is responsible, do yourself a favor and avoid this. And would someone please reissue the Clapton? Musically and sonically it's incredible.