John Lennon's Acoustic is Simple, Gorgeous, and Emotional
Dec 06 '04
Pros The music, the words, and the love that went into it all
Cons Somewhat lacking liner notes and not a complete picture
The Bottom Line This new compilation of acoustic performances is rich in intelligence, emotion, musical genius, and a zest for life. Lennon was an outstanding and wonderful singer-songwriter.
Full Review
John Lennon was killed long before his creative fire dimmed. I don't remember the event, but I remember the day--it was my fourth birthday. It has taken a lifetime for me to come to grips with the fact that both The Beatles and later each individual member were revolutionary forces in the music industry. It can be argued that Lennon was the most luminous of the four. His solo career thrived throughout the 1970's until his death on December 8, 1980. While his music with the Beatles was the most appealing to the widest audience, it was his solo work that in the end has defined his career.
Albums including John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, Imagine, and Double Fantasy stand out but the rest of the music (despite some being rather experimental) were clearly the work of a modern genius singer-songwriter. However, it has taken until this year's release of Acoustic for me to really get a handle on the music. On the compilation I feel his heart, I appreciate his writing, and I adore his voice. However as is the case with most compilations, there are problems with the album. The songs are by and large outstanding, but as an album it lacks focus. Many of the tracks are available on other albums which makes the purchase of Acoustic somewhat inessential. In addition, the notes are scant and give info only about the origins of the recording of The Luck of the Irish and John Sinclair (Ann Arbor, MI rally in 1971) and Imagine (Live at the Apollo 1971).
I do get great joy out of Acoustic. Despite all of the faults both musically and with packaging, it is hard not to appreciate this release. Simple, unassuming, and straightforward it eliminates everything from the original songs that detracted from the guitar, vocals, and melody. Of course in some cases the production on the songs originally lent them some character but John Lennon's genius was always in his songwriting--a quality that sparkles throughout Acoustic.
I have spoken at length about my distaste for live releases. Sometimes the crowds overpower the songs, the production is so bad that they detract from the actual songs, or the band/artist's talent cannot stand up to the strain of a real performance. None of these detractors apply here--though, I must admit that sometimes the production leaves something to be desired. In addition, many of the songs seem cut short or are just plain brief. I'd have liked to hear more of Well Well Well, My Mummy's Dead and the gorgeous God. In fact, it is God that I like most. It speaks directly to my own belief system--I don't believe in anything but myself. It is simple, intelligent, and plain spoken.
Outside of God, there are so many other things that are wonderful about this album. Working Class Hero, Well Well Well, The Luck of the Irish, John Sinclair, What You Got, Wheels Go Round and Imagine are easily my favorite selections but the album is strong across the board. As I mentioned, the parts are stronger than the whole. That is the only real viable complaint I have about the whole release.
I'm fascinated by The Luck of the Irish. It reminds me of my brother-in-law who expressed great distress and embarrassment regarding English colonialism. The politically charged anthem is presented with a tongue-in-cheek along side Irish traditional music and the occasional verse as sung by Yoko. The up-tempo classic John Sinclair follows, but it is overshadowed by the superior The Luck of the Irish. I particularly enjoy the segway between the two songs when Lennon asks--"flower power didn't work, so now what?"
Working Class Hero, Wheels Go Round, and What You Got are wonderful, easy, and appealing renditions. I particularly enjoy the delicate Wheels Go Round but in all they are all outstanding songs. The real tear jerker of Acoustic is, as I predicted, Imagine. Oddly situated toward the end of the album, it oozes the hurt but irrepressible hope that Lennon originally intended. It's as beautiful and wonderful piece of music as ever recorded. Imagine is a truly outstanding song be it performed and recorded live or in the studio. It has always struck me as darkly ironic that such hope, grace, intelligence, and peace came from a man killed by a bullet.
Acoustic is a truly beautiful offering. It is fitting that the album ends with a stark and acoustic whistled version of It's Real. This is an album worth every full-priced penny for both fans and sometime fans of Lennon. Acoustic is the talented singer-songwriter at his simplest and most expressive.
The photo on the back of the CD booklet says it all. It is a look at the man--Lennon seated on a bench holding a guitar along side his young son who is also seated with a guitar. Both wearing flip-flops, shorts, looking to their right in the dark of night. Inscribed at the bottom of the page is the fitting quote:
"A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality."
Rating: 5/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. Working Class Hero
02. Love
03. Well Well Well
04. Look at Me
05. God
06. My Mummy's Dead
07. Cold Turkey
08. The Luck of the Irish
09. John Sinclair
10. Woman is the Nigger of the World
11. What You Got
12. Watching the Wheels
13. Dear Yoko
14. Real Love
15. Imagine
16. It's Real
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