Living In The Material World (Optimal Source Series)
This may be the last OSS Harrison album I do, unless some of you are clamouring for the others (Dark Horse, Extra Texture, Gone Troppo, Cloud 9). The first 2 only have a single source (the original CD), and the latter 2 were underwhelming as remasters. I'm also still searching for the original Gone Troppo in lossless just to compare to the remaster (maybe I'll trade for the CD someday).
Anyway, this was a fantastic album and sorely in need of a remaster. They did a decent job on it, although those early albums were particularly hissy (glad they didn't use noise reduction, though). I really wish someone would just go back and remix this album instead ("All Things Must Mass" too!!). I'm sorry, but Phil Spector is NOT my favorite producer. While I think did a great job on "Let It Be", I'm NOT impressed with anything he did for any Beatle solo work (John AND George's stuff). I'd really love to hear "Who Can See It" remixed. The song is haunting, and the strings are beautiful...but that damn "wall of sound" causes all the instruments to blend together rather than stand on their own. Don't get me started on "All Things Must Pass" ("Awaiting On You All", for example).
I retained the bonus tracks from the remaster (some nice B-sides from that timeframe), but I added the A-side "Deep Blue" ("Bangla Desh"), which, I feel, SHOULD have been on here. There is only a single source for this song on CD (Best of George Harrison), which is not known for it's great sound. The CD was either EQ'd to sound muddy or subjected to very early (and bad) noise reduction. I decided to try to EQ it (no compression and nothing drastic) to get it to sound closer to the tracks on the remaster, and, I must say, the results were surprising. It sounds pretty damn good now! You be the judge.
Here is the lineup:
1. Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth) (Remaster)
2. Sue Me, Sue You Blues (Remaster)
3. The Light That Has Lighted The World (Remaster)
4. Don't Let Me Wait Too Long (Remaster)
5. Who Can See It (Remaster)
6. Living In The Material World (Remaster)
7. The Lord Loves The One (That Loves The Lord) (Remaster)
8. Be Here Now (Remaster)
9. Try Some Buy Some (Remaster)
10. The Day The World Gets 'Round (Remaster)
11. That Is All (Remaster)
12. Bangla Desh (Best Of George Harrison)
13. Deep Blue (Remaster)
14. Miss O'Dell (Remaster)