Brilliant and Amazingly Eclectic, but Long Winded
You know a record’s good when Eric Clapton drops by to deliver a blistering guitar solo “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and it’s not the only high point of the record — there are many of them, including kick-ass rockers “Birthday”; “Helter Skelter”, harmonic experiments that put the Byrds to shame “Dear Prudence”, simple but unforgettable ballads “Blackbird”; “Julia”, pure, crafted pop songs “Martha My Dear”, a wild, lengthy sound collage “Revolution #9″, and then all the clever rip-offs — blues “Yer Blues”, country-western “Rocky Racoon”, 20’s jazz “Honey Pie”, the Beach Boys “Back In The U.S.S.R.”, MGM movie soundtracks “Goodnight”, even the Beatles themselves “Glass Onion”. Still, there are way too many toss-offs and misfires.
— J. Alroy
George has four songs here, and he’s rapidly nearing his peak as a songwriter, with the horn-powered rocker “Savoy Truffle,” a mellow number in the style that would dominate his 70s work “Long Long Long”, and of course “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” The experimentalism gets way out of control, and the fragmentation of the group adds to the confusion. The hilarious “Back In The U.S.S.R.” parodies not only the Beach Boys but also Chuck Berry “Back in the U.S.A.” and Ray Charles “Georgia On My Mind”.
— D.B. Wilson