John Lennon – The Light Appears

Paul and Linda McCartney – Ram (Archive Collection – 2CD Edition) (2012)

Posted on July 3, 2025 by Michael

Like his first post Beatles album, Ram credited to Paul and Linda McCartney, was not well received upon release. Retrospective reviews have been far kinder and in some quarters its considered something of a classic. John Lennon heard it differently, with a few of the songs credited as being digs at McCartney’s former bandmate including first track “Too Many People” and it’s line, “too many people preaching practices”. With an echoey beginning and strong melody line, it’s a great opener.

“Ram On” is the same verse over and over again sung over a ukelele, it later appears as a reprise. “Dear Boy” sees McCartney appreciating his love for Linda with sly digs at her ex on how he did not appreciate what he had, it’s also one of the most Beatles sounding tracks. Both “Heart Of The Country” and closer “The Back Seat Of My Car” are terrific, breezy bits of music with no shortage of melodies.

At nearly six minutes, “Long Haired Lady” sees Linda take co-lead on a track that gets better as it goes on, the line “love is long” is repeated many times over. The highlight of the album is McCartney’s first solo #1 single in the US, “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey”. Separate songs stitched together by engineer Eirik Wangberg, the clever technique recalls past Beatles glories like the second half song suite of Abbey Road. It starts off as a dreamy track before getting more jaunty in the second half, it’s a remarkable slice of 70s pop rock. The entire album has a loose feel to it that really works, one where everything feels just fine.

The Archive Collection reissue from 2012 adds a further 8 songs to the original album including excellent first single post Beatles, “Another Day”. Describing an ordinary day for the rest of us, it’s similar in style to some of his past songs and British singles from The Kinks and blur. Bluesy B-side “Oh Woman, Oh Why” has a terrific guitar riff before giving way to a few more tuneful shorter tracks and the harder rocking 8-minute “Rode All Night”.

Ram – 9/10

Extras Disc – 7.5/10

Album Reviews

David Bowie – Young Americans (1975)

Posted on September 4, 2024 by Michael

For several years in the early 70s, David Bowie was putting out British glam rock. He took a sudden artistic turn in 1975 with the release of the soul/funk of Young Americans. Working with guitarist Carlos Alomar for the first time + saxophonist David Sanborn, backup singers Luther Vandross and Ava Cherry – Bowie teamed up with producer Tony Visconti and Harry Maslin to record in the US for the first time.

With the aforementioned talent behind him, the musicianship on the album is top notch. The title track immediately has a loose vibe and a killer chorus by the R+B back up singers. The new Philadelphia sound brims with energy on the plastic soul hit. “Win” is a late-night soul atmospheric jam before the gritty funk of “Fascination” that was based on a Vandross track. Two of the final tracks include UK mate John Lennon. The first on an impassioned though not entirely successful cover of The Beatles’ “Across the Universe”. The second is the blockbuster, “Fame”.

“Fame” was Bowie’s first number one single in the US. The funk groove lays a bed on which Bowie singles on the ills of being famous. It’s a classic track that helped usher in an era of rock stars incorporating US funk sounds (The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Rod Stewart, etc). Young Americans is an interesting diversion on Bowie’s albums. Not all of it works but his genuine interest to record this music results in a couple of classic Bowie tracks and a few other good ones.

7.5/10

Album Reviews

John Lennon – Imagine (1971)

Posted on March 15, 2022March 15, 2022 by Michael

Just under a year after releasing John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, John Lennon’s Imagine arrived. The sophomore album has several hard hitting songs but is not as stark as it’s predecessor. “Gimme Me Some Truth”, also the name of a recent greatest hits compilation, starts with no introduction and speaks about the liars on all sides of the political and media spectrum. “I Don’t Want To Be A Soldier” has a jam feel to it with similar lyrics repeated throughout. At nearly six minutes long, “How Do you Sleep” is an edgy track that digs into former bandmate Paul McCartney while mentioning Sgt Pepper, “Yesterday”, and the Paul is dead rumours. It’s hard to notice the music when for 50 years most have only focused on the lyrics.

Produced along with Phil Spector and Yoko Ono, it’s not all savage critiques and offers some beautiful moments. “Oh My Love” co-written with Ono, is a lovely piano lead track that offers a clean sound with no strings added as Lennon sings, “oh my love, for the first time in my life/my eyes are wide open”. “How” sees Lennon question which direction to go before the sunny pop of “Oh Yoko!” ends the album on a bright note.

The two most well known songs arrive on the first half of the album. “Jealous Guy” started as a track originally written during The Beatles album before being left off then repurposed with new lyrics. The chorus of “I didn’t mean to hurt you/I’m sorry that I made you cry” is still devastating and the apologies likely don’t make up for the regret. Just one track in, the title track is the album’s highlight. One of the most well known songs throughout the world, “Imagine” mixes spirituality without religion, no country borders, a dash of communism, and a lot of love. The song is one of those that seems to have been around forever and is one of the most powerful in the rock and roll canon. Both the Imagine song and album are among John Lennon’s greatest achievements.

10/10

Album Reviews

John Lennon – John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970)

Posted on October 20, 2020 by Michael

Upon the break-up of The Beatles in the spring of 1970, John Lennon and Yoko Ono decamped to the US to take part in Primal Therapy sessions. The rawness of those classes, lead Lennon to record this official debut released in December 1970. Here, Lennon is backed by the Plastic Ono Band with him and Ono producing with assistance from Phil Spector. Recording was quick, beginning on September 26^th and ending a month later.

At times John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band is spare and minimal as Lennon touches on family and the relationship with his parents, especially his Mother numerous times. First single and album opener “Mother” is a devastating way to open an album. “Mother, you had me but I never had you” cuts deep. The album closes with “My Mummy’s Dead”. At a mere 52 seconds, the vocals sound like they were recorded onto a tape recorder.

“Working Class Hero” is an equally powerful track as the opener– “as soon as you’re born they make you feel small” It’s another track that makes it’s intent known in the first line. An understated song that is filled with quiet rage and reminds of Dylan’s 60’s work. The intro to “Love” is long and takes awhile to come to the listener’s attention before Lennon sings “love is real, real is love”, “Isolation” sings of Lennon and Ono just being a boy and girl. To contrast the quieter sounds, “Well Well Well” has a White Stripes thump to begin, filled with distortion and a harder edge. The foundation of “Remember” is a driving rock and roll beat before a gun shot brings it to a close.

On his debut, John Lennon with the help of Yoko Ono leaves the 60s behind. “God” lists all the things that Lennon does not believe in including the bible, Buddha, and the Beatles before declaring that the “dream is over”. What he does believe in is himself and Yoko. Personal, direct and raw John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band is regarded as one of Lennon’s finest with a bucolic cover that looks amazing on vinyl… even if we only have the CD.

10/10