Out of all the albums cut by artists in the
Beatles
' orbit,
Splinter
's
The Place I Love
is the one that, along with
Badfinger
's albums, was most deserving of reissue. The first album released on
George Harrison
Dark Horse Records
label,
-- which did chart -- was produced by the ex-
Beatle
and features the best music associated with him that was heard in the 14 years between
Living in the Material World
and
Cloud Nine
.
, consisting of
Bill Elliott
Bob Purvis
, harmonizes beautifully, and their vocals recall
John Lennon
at their respective peaks. Coupled with upwards of a half dozen or more guitars (and keyboards, percussion, and Jew's harp) overdubbed by
Harrison
(working under various aliases, since he was still signed to
EMI
at the time) with some additional contributions by
Alvin Lee
), and a rhythm section that included
Jim Keltner
on drums and
Klaus Voormann
playing bass, it's not surprising that
's debut album comes off like a cross between the
Plastic Ono Band
on a very good day and very melodic offshoots of
All Things Must Pass
in its leaner moments. It really rocks, too --
's guitar playing (six-string, 12-string, and electric) on
"Somebody's City"
is some of his best and flashiest, and coupled with the duo's singing and
Mike Kelly
's pile-driver drums and a tasteful
Mel Collins
horn arrangement, is an absolute jewel, and
"Gravy Train,"
which opens the album, is practically a sequel to
"Get Back."
"Costafine Town,"
which made the charts, is a warmly nostalgia-laden tune with a memorable melody and gorgeous singing. Much of this album actually sounds like very good
outtakes and
deserves to be remembered beyond the hardcore underground network of
enthusiasts. In 1999,
was reissued as a bootleg CD-R with a bonus track, the ethereal
"Lonely Man,"
off of the group's second album,
Harder to Live
, which features even better singing than anything on
and also includes
on guitar. ~ Bruce Eder