Review of George Harrison's "Cloud Nine"

Cloud Nine (1987) was something of a rebirth for George Harrison. After recording some wonderful songs and records post-Beatles, he fell into something of a creative hole. Cloud Nine, five years after his previous work Gone Troppo, put an end to this malaise.

Perhaps the presence of so many of his friends helped. The list of contributing artists is impressive. These include Ringo Starr and Jim Keltner on drums, Ray Cooper on percussion (and drums), Eric Clapton on guitar and Elton John on piano. Another important contributor was Jeff Lynne who co-produced the album (with Harrison), as well as helping out on guitars, bass and keyboards.

Certainly there is a cohesiveness about this album- whether this is because of the enjoyable recording process one can only guess. Nonetheless the songs come together well and complement eachother. The main reason for this would be the consistent, simple, pop sound that is common to all the tracks. The easy drumming, the catchy guitar (especially enjoyable is the slide guitar) and the smooth vocals are a winning formula. It's not the most sophisticated stuff ever written, but that's why it's good.

All of the songs are good, but some stand out above the others. "Just for Today" is an extremely melancholic ballad - the inspiration for the song came from a friend's Alcoholic Anonymous pamphlet - written by a man who knows a lot about sadness. "Fish on the Sand" is conversely upbeat and typical of the catchiness of the album. Oustanding, too, are two slower songs to be found on Side B, 'Someplace Else' and "Breath Away From Heaven."

Those that listened to George Harrison's Beatles contributions and thought him a talented songwriter will almost certainly enjoy Cloud Nine. Even twenty years on his music has the same gentle charm. As of yet there has still been no follow-up; hopefully this is not to be his last album.

RATING: 8/10

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