The cliché about singer/songwriters is that they sing confessionals direct from their heart, but John Lennon exploded the myth behind that cliché, as well as many others, on his first official solo record, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. Inspired by his primal scream therapy with Dr. Arthur Janov, Lennon created a harrowing set of unflinchingly personal songs, laying out all of his fears and angers for everyone to hear. It was a revolutionary record -- never before had a record been so explicitly introspective, and very few ...
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The cliché about singer/songwriters is that they sing confessionals direct from their heart, but John Lennon exploded the myth behind that cliché, as well as many others, on his first official solo record, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. Inspired by his primal scream therapy with Dr. Arthur Janov, Lennon created a harrowing set of unflinchingly personal songs, laying out all of his fears and angers for everyone to hear. It was a revolutionary record -- never before had a record been so explicitly introspective, and very few records made absolutely no concession to the audience's expectations, daring the listeners to meet all the artist's demands. Which isn't to say that the record is unlistenable. Lennon's songs range from tough rock & rollers to piano-based ballads and spare folk songs, and his melodies remain strong and memorable, which actually intensifies the pain and rage of the songs. Not much about Plastic Ono Band is hidden. Lennon presents everything on the surface, and the song titles -- "Mother," "I Found Out," "Working Class Hero," "Isolation," "God," "My Mummy's Dead" -- illustrate what each song is about, and chart his loss of faith in his parents, country, friends, fans, and idols. It's an unflinching document of bare-bones despair and pain, but for all its nihilism, it is ultimately life-affirming; it is unique not only in Lennon's catalog, but in all of popular music. Few albums are ever as harrowing, difficult, and rewarding as John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. [Released not long after the 50th anniversary of the album's 1970 release, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band--The Ultimate Collection: Deluxe Box Set is a weighty box for a weighty album. The set contains six CDs and two Blu-ray discs, all featuring a plethora of new mixes, outtakes, and jams. The entire box is anchored upon a new "Ultimate" mix of the original LP, which has been expanded to feature "Give Peace a Chance," "Cold Turkey," and "Instant Karma!," the three non-LP Plastic Ono Band singles from 1969 and 1970. The "Ultimate" mixes are designed with modern listeners in mind, featuring a cleaner, wider soundscape that pushes Lennon's vocals into the forefront. It's not a radical change, yet it results in an experience that's quite different from the original, one that's not as intimate and warm as the 1970s mixes even if it retains much of its emotional immediacy. The same could be said of the varying mixes, alternate takes, and outtakes that occupy much of the rest of the box. Alternate versions of the entire album plus its singles comprise the second disc in the box, while there's also an "elements mix" that highlights various components of the recording, whether they're vocals, guitar, or percussion. The "Raw Studio Mix" intends to capture the experience of the Plastic Ono Band playing live in the studio, while "Evolution Documentary" traces the development of a song from its demo through its finished version. There isn't much variation in terms of arrangement or execution among these various mixes, so listening to them in succession can be repetitive. It also makes the stripped-down collection of home demos and the loose, silly studio jams on rock & roll oldies plus the extended jams that resulted in Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band quite welcome: they offer something different than the minutiae of the various mixes. Even if the mixes account for a slightly monochromatic listening experience, this generous excavation of the Lennon vaults is appreciated, especially as the set is handsome and thoughtfully compiled.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi
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Add this copy of Plastic Ono Band to cart. $19.96, new condition, Sold by Salzer's Records rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from ventura, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2021 by Capitol.
Add this copy of Plastic Ono Band [Deluxe Edition] to cart. $20.00, new condition, Sold by Importcds rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Sunrise, FL, UNITED STATES, published 2021 by Capitol.
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