All Things Must Pass is widely recognized as Harrison's Opus.  A masterpiece of songwriting, musicianship and performance, ATMP is a milestone for the listener as much as it is for the artist.  Beneath the surface of brilliance, however, we see an album with a number of outside musicians and an outside producer that left his heavy handed mark on nearly every track.  Was it what Harrison had originally conceived these songs to sound like?  We will never know the answer to that but when one considers his comments in the liner notes to the ATMP reissue, where he admits the urge to remix some of the heavy production, it can be assumed that in hindsight some of the tracks seemed a bit overdone.

None of this is to say that ATMP is not a brilliant album.  The song writing is amazing and speaks to generations of fans and it remains one of the best albums in his catalogue for new fans to try out but, for a long time fan like me, it can be argued that Living in the Material World is the first Harrison album "as nature intended."

Aside from one song, Try Some Buy Some, LITMW is produced by Harrison, marking the first of many solo albums produced by himself.  The self production can be a blessing and a curse as it allows the artist full control of their vision, it also feeds the ego and otherwise throwaway songs become album cuts.  On LITMW, however, it is nothing but blessing.  From start to finish, this album has all the marks of Harrison's touch without all the filler.  He surrounded himself with a few outstanding musicians that could work their way around the tricky time changes of Who Can See It and Living in the Material World and produced an album that is well balanced; not too many ballads, not too many rockers.  And he did all of this amidst charity concerts, Beatles lawsuits, numerous television appearances and guest working on several other albums.  Truly, a busy era for Harrison, LITMW reflects his frustration with fame, legal woes, fighting, and the material world in a way that ATMP and albums following never could. 

The album opens with, what would become one of Harrison's biggest hits, Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth).  As is often the case, the hit is one of the least impressive songs on the album.  Now, before you start warming up the email to send me nasty hate mail, keep reading.  Give Me Love is a great song and deserves every bit of the success and endurance that it has received.  That doesn't, however, make it the best song on the album, just the most commercial. The best songs on the album are reflective of Harrison's own self both lyrically and musically.  Songs like Give Me Love and Don't Let Me Wait Too Long are fantastic songs that would stand up on any album (they would've made nice Beatle tracks too) but the true heart of the album lies in rockers like Sue Me, Sue You Blues and Living in the Material World and ballads like Who Can See It and That is All.  These songs are the songs that exemplify Harrison's style as a composer, mixing complex rhythms and harmonies with beautiful lyrics and instrumental performance. 

LITMW is also a fine example of the less is more rule.  One can only imagine what The Light that has Lighted the World would have sounded like on ATMP.  Is it safe to assume that there would be a choir full of people and lush strings and woodwinds backing a congregation of acoustic guitars and echo pedals?  Probably a safe bet.  But in the capable hands of George Harrison we get a simple, beautiful, well produced ballad with a production value that helps us hear Harrison's angst and his growing dissatisfaction with people's priorities. 

In songs like Sue Me Sue You Blues, Living in the Material World, Who Can See It, and The Light That Has Lighted the World we get an inside look at the divorce of The Beatles.  We are afforded the chance to get our news from a man on the inside when he sings about lawyer bills, court receivership, material friends, wealth, and his own maturity over time.  What other albums can offer so much and still close with a ballad like That is All (which is also a study in George's signature sound)? 

Above all, this album is very low ego.  Harrison could have easily made this a guitar album but he chose to give each song exactly what it needed to be perfect.  Did Art of Dying need all the noise it had?  Did Let it Roll need all the echo and extra instruments?  No, they didn't need them.  It may have made for a nice song but in reality, it may have been nicer with a more simple arrangement.  That's what sets LITMW apart from ATMP.  Both of them are filled to the rim with brilliant songs but LITMW is filled to the rim with brilliant production and execution.  Where Phil Spector put more, Harrison put less and it allows the listener to enjoy the album from start to finish on a much deeper level than ATMP.

ATMP is, obviously, a great album.  Many fans became fans because of this album even to this day and it is still regarded as, arguably, the best album by any of the solo Beatles but, for me, it's always going to be a close second to LITMW for production, songwriting, musicianship, personality and beauty.  ATMP may be Harrison's first album away from The Beatles but LITMW is Harrison's first solo venture.  This album is his baby from start to finish and "That is all I want to say"

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