Album Review: George Harrison Early Takes Volume 1

There are a lot of completist Beatles fans out there, which means as long as there are recorded artifacts from the Fab Four's life – together or apart – being uncovered, there'll be new stock on the shelves and people to buy it. This collection of demos and early takes of some of George Harrison's solo material comes in conjunction with the Martin Scorsese documentary Living In The Material World and is interesting, though unremarkable.

The calling card of his solo career, My Sweet Lord, opens the collection, sounding much like the final version, just looser and with its classic lead guitar breaks removed. Run Of The Mill and closer The Light That Has Lighted The World capture the intimacy you want from a release like this; it's just Harrison alone with his songs. Bob Dylan co-write I'd Have You Any Time is the opposite; gorgeous, lush and replete with Harrison's unmistakable lead breaks, while the version of Dylan's Mama You've Been On My Mind captures the enormous love and respect the Beatle had for the songwriter's work which would manifest in plenty of great material in the future. A sweet version of the Everly Brothers' Let It Be Me sounds as gorgeous as you'd expect, the early take on Woman Don't You Cry For Me is nigh on unrecognisable without its funked-up, clavinet-heavy production, while All Things Must Pass is stretched to almost five minutes and perhaps misses the overdubbed embellishment most.

There's nothing on this record that's any better than Harrison's actual released solo material, but for those who have to have it all, it's a worthy addition to any bulky Beatles collection. Don't start here, wait until you're obsessed.