THERE’S been a lot of fuss about the recent release of the Beatles catalogue in remastered editions ... and rightly so for the boys of Liverpool really were the greatest and most influential rock group ever. Almost slipping under the radar is this excellent compilation of the solo work of the quiet yet much-loved George Harrison.

While John Lennon and Paul McCartney were the principal songwriters of the Beatles, there’s no doubt that all four members went on to produce worthwhile material in their solo careers ... doubters should acquaint themselves with Ringo Starr’s splendid solo compilation Photograph.

This Harrison compilation is even better than that. In the past there haven’t been proper compilations covering the entirety of his solo career, as half of The Best of George Harrison was Beatles tracks while Best of Dark Horse (1976-1989) focused only on later material.

Here we are given a right old treat, careering through Harrison’s best work in the three decades following the Beatles’ split. There are gorgeous slices of pop like My Sweet Lord, What is Life and Got My Mind Set on You and those classic slabs of nostalgia, All Those Years Ago and When We Was Fab, in which he addresses his former band’s legacy.

Throw in fantastic live versions of arguably his three most significant songs with the Beatles – Here Comes the Sun, Something and While My Guitar Gently Weeps – and a couple of tracks from the posthumous albums Brainwashed (which was completed by his son Dhani and close friend Jeff Lynne) and you’ll see why this collection is really special.

Harrison may not have possessed a particularly strong voice nor dazzling technique on the guitar, but the warmth of his personality and skills as a songwriter make him a compelling performer.

The absence of no fewer than five hit singles (Bangla Desh, Dark Horse, You, This Song and the brilliant Crackerbox Palace) does take some of the shine off this release, but I prefer to look upon it as further proof that the man who left us eight years ago was a truly gifted songsmith.