George Harrison
Gone Troppo

THE REVIEW

"My life has taken so many roads

And too much darkness has driven me mad

Around us only people who fight

Christ, I'm looking for a little light"

"Wake Up My Love"

A forgotten album released without being supported by an adequate advertising campaign, a work published only due to contractual obligations by a Harrison who was now distracted by other commitments and shaken by Lennon's death. Released in '82, "Gone Troppo" was very poorly received by the public and critics remained indifferent. It aligns with the previous "Somewhere In England", perhaps more homogeneous and coherent, yet it is neither memorable nor is it, as some critics have written, "the worst album an ex-Beatle has ever produced". It is a tired, disenchanted collection lacking interest from the author, but it does have some interesting moments. The pleasant instrumental "Greece", led by George's slide, weaves a relaxing and peaceful atmosphere which is the main feature of this work. The title track is another pleasurable moment of the album, an ode to idleness with its curious title derived from a typical expression of the Queensland dialect in northeastern Australia meaning "gone crazy from the heat". "Gone Troppo" is a well-produced pop-song, sunny with a good chorus supported by female backing vocals and percussion. "Circles" is instead a track recovered from Harrison's archives; its first draft dates back to '68 and it was completed and recorded during the sessions of "George Harrison" three years earlier. It's a pleasant and reflective track, typical of Harrison's philosophy. "That's The Way It Goes" is another pop-song. The rest is enjoyable if taken lightly and without great expectations, perhaps the dominant synthesizers in "Wake Up My Love" are a bit too intrusive, and the cover of "I Really Love You" is unnecessary.

After the total flop of the album, Harrison decided to retire from the music world for five years, without motivation and ideas, preferring to dedicate himself to his film production activity, and his return came in '87 with "Cloud Nine".