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, most deserves reissue. The first album released on
George Harrison's Dark Horse Records label,
The Place I Love -- 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. Splinter, consisting of Bill Elliott and Bob Purvis, harmonizes beautifully, and their vocals recall
John Lennon and
George Harrison 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 Splinter'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 --
Harrison'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
Badfinger outtakes, which makes its absence from CD even more frustrating; Splinter deserved to be remembered, but so far their recognition has only come from the hardcore underground network of
Beatles enthusiasts. In 1999,
The Place I Love 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
The Place I Love and also includes
Harrison on guitar. ~ Bruce Eder