George Harrison
The Dark Horse Years 1976–1992
Gone Troppo
(Capitol)
Part Four: Gone Troppo
First Appeared in The Music Box, May 2004, Volume 11, #5
Written by John Metzger
Gone Troppo was undoubtedly the worst of George Harrison’s solo
albums. Its breezy, synth-heavy, faux-island fare fell closer to the music of
Jimmy Buffett than that of the quiet Beatle. His grand statements about life and
his exercises in spiritual enlightenment were considerably diluted, and when his
moralistic ideals did manage to creep into his lyrics, they frequently were
delivered as afterthoughts. A few tunes, such as That’s the Way It Goes
and Unknown Delight, might have worked better if given different
arrangements, but as a whole, Gone Troppo was a largely forgettable and
sometimes embarrassing affair that appealed only to complete-ists and fanatics.
A demo version of Mystical One is offered as a bonus track on the
reissue, and its gentle acoustic luster fully redeems its horrendously
overproduced studio counterpart. 
This is the first installment of a seven-part series, which will examine each
album in The Dark Horse Years 1976–1992. The entire boxed set is rated: ½
Of Further Interest...
George Harrison - Thirty-Three & 1/3
George Harrison - George Harrison / self-titled
George Harrison - Somewhere in England
George Harrison - Live in Japan
George Harrison - The Dark Horse Years 1976–1992 DVD
Gone Troppo is available from Barnes & Noble.
To order, Click Here!
This album is also part of the box set
The Dark Horse Years 1976–1992 is available
from Barnes & Noble. To order, Click Here!
Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2004 The Music Box