Reviews (page 3 of 7)
Straight up nostalgia rating here
Didn’t listen to the whole thing but I loved all the songs I listened to
I was a little surprised at how much I liked this. Yoko's solo output is hard to listen to. I have generally liked the John + Yoko stuff I've heard, though, and this was no exception.
I very much enjoyed this album. Personally speaking, I liked John's solo music the best. Of course I know Working Class Hero and God (one of my favorites) but the stuff in between was very good. Very raw and a sign of things to come with John. 8/10
great song writing.
I like his music. I wish he wasn’t so surly, and I could like it more.
Very interesting mix of stuff, I feel like he must have wrote a lot of this while still with the Beatles as it’s so soon afterwards. There are a couple of songs which feel really modern, maybe because of their simplicity. I think the screaming thing isn’t that bad because it’s not exactly overused as I was worried it might have been, I feel like he only does it when the songs reach a natural climax. Some of the distorted guitar tones like on the well well well song are really interesting and dare I say quite ahead of their time. I also like how he often breaks the fourth wall, as he talks about pop figures and says his own name a lot, which I guess shows a lot of artistic development from the psychedelic days of the Beatles. Not too keen on his vocals on some of the more generic blues ones. Favourite songs: mother, hold on, working class hero, isolation, love, look at me, god, my mummy’s dead. Overall around 7/10
Grungy and raw, in both production and songwriting. Lennon doesn't have the poppy hooks that McCartney had but he makes up for that with honest words and wears his heart on his sleeve. Portrays a man who is sad, regretful, selfish, desperate but wants to be better.
Difficult listen in many ways but still genius
I liked this the best of the John Lennon albums I've heard. 4/5
Not a bad solo debut from John, there are several famous songs here, and even the deep cuts are pretty neat. I do, however, prefer the Yoko Ono album of similar title and artwork that was released on the same day. That one is great, but I understand I would not be for everyone. Key tracks: Mother Working Class Hero Isolation Love
Musik ist gut Gesang auch schön aber manchmal schreit er voll Komischer Wechsel zwischen ruhigem Gesang und Geschrei Look at me und I found out gefällt mir Thematik der Texte finde ich gut manchmal aber ein Bisschen bedrückend God gefällt mir am Besten
The mistake most people make while listening to this is immediately comparing this to beatles content. Frankly, that's just lazy. Lennon was charting a new path here. A path aimed at understanding his past through music in a way that he hadn't done on beatles records. It's honest, it's dark, and it's beautiful. I don't think it's particularly great by any means, but songs like hold on and isolation really draw you in. Phil spector on piano is a treat. Wish I could give 3.5
There are a few moments on here where Lennon's vocals get into screams with an almost frightening character (like on "Mother"). And he randomly says "cookie" in a menacing way in the middle of "Hold On." He sets off a bomb at the end of "Remember." It's a little weird to be menaced by John Lennon like this but I guess it works for me; I think this is a strong album. I think Lennon is growing on me. Highlights: "Mother," "Working Class Hero." I might like some cover versions of "Working Class Hero" better than the original (I remember Marianne Faithfull's version on Broken English) but credit to Lennon for writing a good one.
What a brilliant album. Lots of different sounds, and some beautiful gems. Mother, Working Class Hero, Love as the stand-outs - Mother in particular is incredible. Working Class Hero will be returned to a lot too, but the entire album is a great listen. Have on CD, listened there. Not quite a 5* for me, and I have given "worse" albums 5*, but there you go. Hard to keep intertemporal consistency with ratings for such a long list.
Lennon’s best record.
John goes to therapy and unpacks a lot of shit. Not always a comfortable listen but that's the point.
This is way better than the complaining I’ve heard from Beatles fans over the years.
Solid album from John Lennon with minimal Ono.
I liked this quite a bit more than I thought I would. While there are some strange parts and some sections that just take me out of the album, there is good writing and some interesting elements that I did enjoy.
As much as I dislike John Lennon as a person, you certainly can't deny his talent. That is especially showcased in this record. It's certainly got some weird quirks to it which we can probably put down to Yoko Ono. That doesn't make it terrible. Do I think this is as good as the other Beatles solo albums? Not even close. George Harrison & Paul McCartney's post-Beatles albums were phenomenal masterpieces. This record, whilst good and very listenable, just sounds like a mix of late Beatles songs and blues-inspired knockoffs. I think John Lennon really came into his own in whatever album he sang "Imagine" on - that's literally all I know him for outside of the Beatles. Well (well well), that and getting a .38 special round to the dome that sent him directly to hell. Also Well Well Well was just a really fucking annoying song, which detracts from an otherwise very good album. Jesus Christ cunt I get it, you don't need to scream "Well" like 4000 times you annoying pretentious prick.
As far as Beatles solo albums, it is safe to say that Lennon's were probably the most influential. If this project has taught me anything it's that influential and good are not synonyms. I can appreciate this album for how I can see traces of it in music that I like, I can imagine that this would be included in one of those online lists like 'your favourite artist's favourite albums'. At first, I did not gel that much with the lean production here, I thought most of Side A was alright, with Mother and Isolation being the standouts (Working Class Hero is not that good). Love is the song that really sold me on this album. I don't like using this word, but Lennon's voice really is iconic and it's songs like this that make me really love him as an artist. John Lennon really should have gone to a real therapist and not just primal scream therapy. Having said that, I am glad he decided to make this album instead of seeking out an actual professional to help him work through what is a tumultuous and rough life. As a fan of Roger Waters, it would be extremely hypocritical for me to rag on this for being a therapy session put to music. This has no bearing on my score but in my notes I wrote that Well Well Well reminds me of Rock and Roll Pt 2 by Gary Glitter. Highlights: Isolation, Love, God
Interested
Lennon's style shines through in beautiful ways across this album. This was my first listen and I instantly fell in love. 4/5
"I don't believe in beatles" - this line of god always breaks my heart. john is still at the heights of his powers here and this would have meant that there could have been a few more great beatles records. However, lennon created a deeply personal experience here. Musically there is nothing new compared to his beatles approaches. But why change a winning formula, right? Love many of the songs on there. Mother, hold on, working class hero, isolation are all great. And most of the other tracks hold up as well.
High 3, some classic John vocals but something is missing
Besser als Beatles. Viel besser.
Yo that first song CAME ON! I immediately downloaded it on Spotify! Yea upon further listen, this album just sounds honest, raw, minimal but it suits what I think Lennon was going for. After digging deeper myself and discovering that he was in therapy and the Beatles just released their last album earlier that year, the tone of the album makes so much more sense. Incredible deep listening experience imo.
There are lots of things I am learning in this little excursion with 1001 Albums. First of all, there are A LOT of albums to which I have never listened. Secondly, within that group, there are many albums for which I feel no less, by having never listened to them, or in some cases, never even heard of them. Thirdly, and most importantly, there are some real gems, reinforcing why I chose to participate in this journey. I was never much of a (solo) John Lennon fan, lots of reason, none of them relevant at this point. What it did though is predisposed me not to listen to any of his albums post-Beatles. This album would demonstrate, I would have been wiser to keep an open mind about John. Fortunately, I've been given an opportunity to correct.
I've gone back and forth on this album many times. After my first listen, as a teenager, I largely disliked this album. John by himself came across as avant garde for the sake of it, and annoyingly "Look at me, I'm so interesting and different! Look at all the pain I've been through!" As someone coming off a huge Beatles phase, I wanted more Beatles-esque, John-type stuff. Another "Come Together" or another "Julia," if you will. I didn't get that, and I didn't get this. Over the years I softened quite a bit on this album. There's a lot of emotional honesty I wasn't ready for as a teenager. I didn't understand it, so I rejected it. But I've grown to love the emotional core of this album. It's John saying a lot of the stuff he felt in the Beatles late period, but felt he couldn't say as Beatle. Or at least, not in the way he'd like to. Here he is so much more blunt. I mean, "Mother" alone screams (literally) emotional honesty. It's raw, it's painful, it's beautiful. Of course, "God" is the real treatise of the album. While I do look at it as being the naive treatise of a newly-minted thirty year-old, one that's so egotistical and arrogant and hopelessly unrealistic, it is, in the end honest. As honest as he could be at the time anyway. The rest is in a similar vein. Oh and there's also "Well, Well, Well." Nowadays I look at this album as somewhere in the middle of my two opinions of the past. Not a masterpiece like some claim, not Lennon's best solo effort, but also not the off-putting mess I found it as a teenager. This is a great album, deserving of its spot on the list. Four stars. "I seen religion, from Jesus to Paul" Standout Tracks: Mother, I Found Out, Isolation, God
Really enjoyed John Lennon here. Much better album than I expected.
A pretty good album, I liked Hold On and Love the most.
The best Beatles solo album in my opinion
Liked it
Honestly a great album; I loved the vibes, creativity and execution. Working class Heroes was a favourite green day song of mine so finding out it was actually a John Lennon song was a surreal experience, but show credit where credit is due!
3.5⭐️/5 [07.29.2025] 01.12.2026
Honestly SUCH a strong album. Genuinely it’s worth a listen! Not my go to genre for sure but then again the ending? The ending had me stare at a wall for a minute until sighing and writing this! It’s to the point where I think I could give this album a relisten if the right circumstances come!
Gemütliches Album das aber auch viel Schmerz und Gesellschafkritik behandelt: Hier meine Notizen zu den einzelnen Songs: 1. Mother: interessanter Anfang, behandelt den Tod der Eltern, ein bisschen zu eintönig, 2. Hold on: entspannter Vibe, das Cookie hat mich zum schmunzeln gebracht, keine Ahnung was da der Sinn war 3. I flound out: der ganze Song klingt irgendwie knusprig, ich glaube aufgrund der leicht übersteuerten Gitarre, sehr interessant 4. Working Class Hero: Hat mir am Anfang bisschen Country vibes gegeben, ganz okay, Kritik an der Ausbeutung der Arbeiterschicht 5. Isolation: die erste hälfte hat mich ein bisschen an Gilmore Girls erinnert, also von dem vibe her. Ganz schönes Lied, bis jetzt glaube ich mein Favorit 6. Remember: vom Klang her nicht so meins, interessantes Ende 7. Love: sehr schönes Lied und süßes Musikvideo, ich mag das Klavier hier sehr 8. Well Well Well: interessant, nicht so meins, zu viel well und zu viel geschreie 9. Look at me: Cozy, es fehlt mir ein bisschen der Pep 10. God: spannende Message, jedoch nicht wirklich mein Lied 11. My mummy's dead: Traurig und kurz, ausdrucksstark durch die "schlechte Qualität" Insgesammt fande ich die Lieder Isolation und Love am besten. Beide haben einen schönen Klang und ahben mich am meinsten abgeholt. Jedoch fande ich das ganze Album sehr spannend und es hat mir Spaß gemacht die Gedanken von John Lennon zu hören. Ich kannte ihn vorher nicht, also bin ich froh so auf ihn gestoßen zu sein. Und btw. Ich liebe das Album Cover, sehr schön, am liebsten würde ich es in meinem Zimmer aufhängen.
Raw feelings, good music.
Damn, this one hit me. Raw and authentic. People need to seperate the person from the art. You can feel the pain and sorrow come through every song.
A phenomenal debut solo album by Lennon. Having only ever listened to 'Imagine' - which I personally found to be a bit overrated and obtuse - I was surprised to get genuine enjoyment out of this one. Lennon gives a raw and intimately personal vocal performance; Ringo's drumming is tasteful as ever; and Klaus Voormann's basslines are the icing on the cake. 'All Things Must Pass' - for me - remains the quintessential post-Beatles solo album. But having listened through this one a few times, I must admit this one is now a close second.
Has some of the pitfalls of 'Imagine', like the pretension and self-regard, but the raw emotion and more rough-and-tumble production makes this the superior album. The fresh bitterness of the Beatles break-up is tasty, to be honest. And the songs are simply stronger.
You can feel the anguish in the sound
I went into this expecting fairly little, mainly due to my dislike of the song Imagine and dislike of John Lennon as a person, but I shouldn't be surprised that in the end his absolute genius songwriting wins out and I did end up enjoying this a lot.
"Working Class Hero" has such beautiful lyrics. TvT "Well Well Well" Suddenly very rock?! 0v0 Oh well...
Just not quite the Beatles, is it? Simpsons: Yes, although the only fella not to guest star. For obvious reasons.
This was quite beautiful and unexpected.
Glad I heard it, a few gems for sure. I think so was scared of how much Ono there was going to be.
Lots of really powerful stuff here as expected. It's raw and rough but so emotional in a great way.
loved a few
Love the songs, hate the production. Loses a fifth star for all that Spector echo and dull drum sound.
Heavy from John
trying to get back on the saddle didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as i did. good stuff lenny
This is a very dark album. My teenage head didn’t understand this depressing type of music. It does have some good songs.
Honestly, was expecting some Yoko bs, got some genuinely good music tho. WITH NO YOKO!!! I liked both the lyrics and the psychedelic rock, as well as the vocals. Some of them were quite impressive and experimental from John which was cool. All in all, a real good album to break away from The Beatles and make his own musical identity.
This is by far the best non-Beatles album by a Beatles I have heard yet
They did Ballads
Ended up liking this more than I expected to
What an emotional album.
Isolation hits. Dammit the whole album does.
If you didn’t know it about one of the most over-biographied musicians of all time, this was a man in the middle of uncompleted and much needed therapy. Despite, or perhaps because of, the pain which lies behind it, it’s probably his best album. It’s less pretentious and hypocritical than the overrated Imagine, less syrupy than Double Fantasy and not weighed down with the mindless, repetitive anthemic style which dogs so much of his writing. The best track is probably Working Class Hero.
Even though I'm a huge Bob Dylan fan, I don’t usually give much credit to lyrics, at least not in rock and roll. Music is, first and foremost, about sound. Lyrics are often just the icing on top. If the words are brilliant but the music is dull, I’m not interested. If I wanted poetry, I’d read a book. Joni Mitchell comes to mind: Blue is often praised for being intimate and confessional, but honestly, the music is bland and forgettable. Her melodies don’t hold up, and no amount of lyrical depth can save the listening experience. That said, I’m giving this album four stars because of the lyrics. Musically, I’d probably rate it three and a half and round down, but the raw, soul-baring writing leads me to round up. I’ve seen critics rave about this record, and while I like John a lot, these just aren’t songs I’m likely to return to often. The tunes themselves aren’t that compelling, at least not to the level critics suggest. Rolling Stone ranked this among the top 25 albums of all time. It’s good, but it’s not that good.
4.4
It seems paradoxical that one can be simultaneously arrogant and vulnerable, but that is the heart of exhibitionist. If you want to read the cover of Two Virgins as exhibitionist, I'll hear that out. If you think that Lennon's focus here on his particular problems is narcissistic, you might be right. Given how much contemporary discourse is about what an awful person Lennon was, I'm sure his naval-gazing on this record puts a lot of people off. Still, I prefer to see Plastic Ono Band as the beginning of his incomplete redemption arc. He will be as good again artistically as he was with Paul, but he does use his solo art as a way of exploring and redressing the personal issues that co-existed with his creative highpoints. Things don't get better immediately and the drastic solution to withdraw from art-making altogether may have been solution at all, but he tried. And it starts here. Such pained self-reflection may sound onerous, but I choose not to think of it like that. While the songs themselves might be therapeutic exercises for Lennon, they can be functional or work music for us - most of us will, at some point, need to express My Mummy's Dead. Focusing less on the content and more on the form, we can see songs like Love, God, and Mother as giving us a format in which to structure our own feelings. What is love to us? What things in our life have we lost faith in? Having faith in yourself is a solid foundation to rebuild from. The fact that U2 reworked that song on Rattle & Hum proves my point, although not well. So, while Lennon's performance is very personal, the songs themselves are composed as public prayers. You may not always need them, but, in a foxhole or a doldrum, you may get some use from them. That may be overstanding things. Some of the songs are throwaway, certainly less gnomic or koan-like, but, even then, Ringo's drums sound stupendous. 3.5 What a pairing this was with Talking Heads 77. I couldn’t sympathise with Byrne - in my assessment a writer unwilling to risk expression in his songwriting beyond portraying a surface musical brand - awkward, contrary, intellectually aloof, unpredictable, cooler than you. Well, instant karma; here is a songwriter willing to expose himself in his songs to a discomforting degree. Better, no? There is certainly the temptation with some of this to peremptorily dismiss Mr Lennon with the neatness of Byrne’s antagonist in ‘No Compassion’: ‘Go talk to your analysts/ Isn't that what they're paid for?’ However the truth is that in the midst of all this millionaire’s self-obsession and primal screaming there is a very important element that is not present in Talking Heads 77; there is some really beautiful music. Lennon is not one for much melodic or structural development; lots of these songs simply go round and round through verse after verse before a bridge breaks the musical stasis. But those (seemingly) simple, square, four-bar melodic phrases over heavily reverbed piano plonked straight from the heart - Mother, Isolation, Love, God - at least achieve a crystalline beauty that is worthy of repeating. I appreciate the risk John Lennon takes too; when you write lullaby-simple phrases you always risk sounding like a child. Of course Lennon had just finished The Beatles when he did this so perhaps he was confident no one would judge him too harshly if he fell the wrong side of it. I like this album. 3.5/5
No, I’m not a fan of this album outside the best in class tape production, but Working Class Hero is one of the finer songs ever written, and worth at least 3 stars on its own.
p200. 1970. 4 stars. The Gospel of St.John. Very much a mixed bag of primal scouring of the soul and lovesick soppiness, but when it's good it's brilliant.
Buen primer album tras su separación de los Beatles. Sonido crudo.
I’ve never much vibed with the majority of John Lennon’s solo work. Doesn’t mean I don’t like it, but I don’t seek it out. This album is good. Some great points with a fair amount of mess too. “Mother,” “Hold On,” “Working Class Hero,” and “God” are my favorite tracks, though I had a pretty emotional reaction to a lot of it as it was related to his mom and mine recently died, so I could feel those emotions strongly. The reason this is getting a 4 instead of a 5 is because there’s not a whole lot on this I’ll want to revisit, and while I think it’s a very good album that deserves its spot on the list, there’s better too, especially when it comes to post-Beatles releases.
He did good work!
Non parte benissimo, ma c'è 'Working class hero'
Some good ones on there but there is always the sense on how much better those songs could have been with a full Beatles lineup
Buen disco.
Slow start but once Working Class Hero kicks off it’s a great album
I love, love, love The Beatles! I love all the solo works from the Beatles! This is a great album from John and it has a bunch of good songs, this is not my favorite album of his solo stuff but it is a good one! Definitely shows how John was feeling when he went his way
Interesting that John Lennon is credited to this whole album, but the title suggests it was made by both him and Yoko Ono. I had low expectations coming into this, which mostly stems from the quite quite negative image of Yoko Ono I've gotten over the years. Probably completely unwarranted, what do I know. But it turned out my expectations of the album was proved wrong, it is quite a good album! 'Hold On' was a song I had saved on Spotify even before hearing the album, and it is a really good one. Was also surprised to find out that 'Working Class Hero' - which I consider quite a classic song - comes from this album. Impressive! The only real thorn in my side with this album is the echo or delay used on the drums. This is most prominent on 'Remember' and 'Well Well Well' and is so incredibly enjoying to listen to and sounds extremely messy. While I think Lennon's obsession over Yoko Ono becomes silly and influences and bleeds into the music way too much, the album has an overall very high lowest bar. While the Beatles' individual work after their split isn't on the same level as when they were together, I think Lennon probably was the one who managed to create the most memorable songs of them all. And some of them are on this record. Solid 4!
I was kind of expecting not to like this, even though I know and like the opening track, "Mother". There are definitely some moments of eye rolling but I'll be generous and chalk those up to this guy inventing a lot of the things that are now cliche.
THINKIN: Recorded therapy session that somehow is as inviting as great pop can be. Using a 3-minute pop song to do and hold so much emotion. One of the greatest, if not "the", solo-Beatles records. PERSONALLY: Mother as an opening still hits me as much as when I first heard it. ALT TITLE: Mother
39 minutes of John Lennon really going through it. Deeply personal and thankfully free of Yoko's screeching. I enjoyed this more thank I expected. A lot of grooves. God is one of the most pretentious songs I've ever heard.
I have to admit, approaching this album, I was a bit hesitant. John Lennon and Yoko Ono are individuals I don’t particularly like, and their fame only amplified that feeling. The album’s title, referencing both of them, added to my initial reluctance. So, I began listening with a negative mindset. However, as the album went on, I found it to be quite mellow and easygoing. Overall, it’s a singer-songwriter album with a subtle bluesy touch and minimalist instrumentation. Interestingly, when I listened to “Imagine,” I had similar hesitations but ended up enjoying it.
controversial but really good
Half of this (most of Side A) is phenomenal, which makes sense. The rest of it (most of Side B) shows why John was best when working with the lads. I think Paul would have elevated “Love”, killed “Well Well Well”, and left “Working Class Hero” alone since it’s perfect as is.
listened to again there's a beauty to the simplicity of this record
Mother // Hold On // Working Class Hero // Love // God //
I liked some of the songs on it, but not all.
A very raw, personal and honest 'real' debut album by John Lennon, shortly after the break-up of the Beatles and him finishing the primal scream therapy. The highs are very high (Mother, Love, Working Class Hero, God), and I also love some other songs a lot (Isolation, Look at Me which sounds very much like a White Album era Beatles song), and the haunting My Mummy's Dead. I only give it a 4 for some of the songs that are not on the same quality as the above mentioned ones (particularly Well Well Well), otherwise it is a great album, and his best in his catalogue.
Great songs, pity he was such a prick
I'm not gonna argue that this is in the same realm as All Things Must Pass - but I don't think they need to be compared (though the jab at George's religion in I Found Out is unnecessary). Both John and George are drawing great elements from late Beatles sounds. John has that funk-rock positivity that I love. This album rocks in simplicity. Does anyone else think Remember sounds a lot like I Dig Love?
The very first song made me nervous for the rest of the album, but it slowly fell into place and became clear as to why he’s such an influence. He changed music, both lyrically and with sound, and showed brave risks and skill. Way to go birthday twin!!!!
Pretty good, a lot of these songs reminded me of songs from Imagine and from the White Album. He certainly has a distinct sound.
By far Lennons best post Beatles work. I but pretentious a bit arrogant and pretty raw
Went in with a prejudiced mind, came away very surprised. A really enjoyable listen, some great lyrics, and an all round good vibe
Not a fan of Lennon but I liked the production on this. I found out is a great song. Can’t really deny it’s a good album
8/10
Gefällt mir ganz gut, aber es reicht nicht ganz zum Fünfer
A personal, introspective album that nevertheless feels quite relatable. Lennon's emotions shine through in his vocals, and I absolutely enjoyed listening to him sing the deepest parts of his soul out.
COOKIE!
El mejor álbum de Lennon solista, sin duda alguna. Crudo, espontáneo y duro de escuchar, John abre su pecho con letras desgarradoras que tratan sobre su "camino para volverse una persona mejor", enfrentándose a sus traumas en medio de las secuelas del fin de The Beatles. "Hold On", "Working Class Hero", "Mother", sumados al resto de las canciones hacen de "John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band" una colección clásica del polémico y trágico Fab Four.
9/10
# Album Name: John Lennon-Plastic Ono Band # Artist: John Lennon # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: I have to say this is not what i was expecting from a Lennon album. First time ive heard this in its entirety except a track or two. Its clearly an emotional time in his life. That becomes even more apparent when you read the history of the album. I appreciate how raw the album is. Its clearly a very emotional and personal piece of art. Theres a few good tracks scattered here and there too. I enjoyed the laid back melody of hold on. Its quite nice. I found out - the bass and drums really drive the song. Working class hero. A fantastic song. I was surprised to find out this track was not released as a single. Its clearly the best song on the album in my eyes. Well well well - well, that was a surprise. Could of been Cobain behind the mic if im honest!! The drive and raw emotion in lennons voice. Really reminds me of early grunge. Was this the start of it? Doubt it but the similarity is there in the vocals. Overall, if you strip back its emotional angle, the quality of songs arent at the highest levels you expect from a beatle. It pales in comparison to his beatles work or even later Lennon, Solo McCartney or even wings. Im really torn with this one. Initially i was thinking a 3 because its so far away from the "best version" of lennon i enjoy. However, its clear the quality, raw emotion and personal issues are deeply rooted in this album. I'd give it a low 4. # Top Tunes: WCH / Well Well Well / Mother / Hold on # Would I listen to it again? Yeah, ill come back to this one.
Mother - superb I Found Out - great song, horrible drum beat on chorus Working Class Hero - Great Love - Beautiful song God - maybe lennons best song Great album. The only negatives are the slightly higher tempo songs. I don't think they work as well.
Honest and heartfelt though a bit too svreamy at times. Essential.
I thought I wouldn't like this but I was surprised to find I did actually like most of the songs, particularly Working Class Hero (which is very relevant at the moment) and Isolation. Rating: 4
Solid first solo post Beatles. Probably my favorite of the first 4 first from the fab 4.
At one point in my life I had this album on vinyl and I enjoyed it. So I'm familiar with this one. We're old friends. Favorites: Mother, I Found Out (one of my favorite Lennon solo songs), Remember, and God (he doesn't believe in Beatles, he just believes in himself). Well Well Well is not a very good song but I like when he gets screamy with it because it almost reminds me of Kurt Cobain for some reason. So I think he was ahead of his time with some of the notes he was hitting. Cool album!
Good job John
Very nice. Some weird stuff creeping in but this is normal enough to enjoy
very chill album so far overall but also kind of about peace. i don’t like john lennon but must admit he’s very talented.
Love this album and I put aside my feelings about John as I have always hated the. Way he treated Julian and his mother. Otherwise some of John's best solo work. Stand out tracks: - Mother - Hold on - I found out - Working class hero - Love - Well well well - God
Pretty good!
Not his best, but mother and working class hero are classics!!!!!
Good stuff. I like the Beatles and there were some interesting tracks here, did feel a bit angry sometimes at Paul/the beatles
Maybe it was time for the Beatles to break up. This is the kind of album that John definitely wouldn’t have been able to make as a Beatle and it’s pretty remarkable. 4.3
4.5 Working Class hero is probably a top 20 song for me. Never really dug into the Lennon solo post-Beatles catalogue, probabbly doing myself a disservice.
Love the Beatles, but their solo stuff is pretty hit and miss. This was the former.
Great album with some of my favorites. I'll always be a fan of Lennon's solo work even though he was a jerk in life.
Always down for some John Lennon. This had a few of my favourites on it, so that was cool.
John Lennon works through his demons publicly and on wax. It’s a bit rough, especially compared to his Beatles output, but overall the album is very effective. Maybe an 8.5/10 from me, but I’m biased as a massive Beatles fan.
I’ve always liked The Beatles but never really got into Lennon’s solo music much, and thought Imagine was just ok when it came up on here. Plastic Ono Band was kind of revelatory in that sense - it’s so emotional and surprisingly heavy in places, and really feels like a continuation of White Album weirdness rather than a more placid Let It Be-style record. I’ve heard so many bad covers of Working Class Hero that I forgot just how good the original is, and Lennon’s rasping screams on a couple of the songs are so effective. Also the closing track’s lo-fi abstractness sounds like Mac de Marco or something, very odd In short, this was great!
John Lennon after the Beatles is more personal and less commercial. His music isn’t for entertainment so much as personal documentaries. To appreciate most of it you need to research where he was in both time and space. He was so much bigger than all of us because he was real and true to himself and his values.
Hot Take: Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band is better than the John Lennon version
Really good first solo album from one of the greatest song writers of all time
Cool album, the primal scream stuff is sweet and you can hear a lot of influence this record had on bands like Dr. Dog
I listened to this as background music while doing assorted busy work. Wasnt a close llisten but I definitely enjoyed its presence. I liked when he said he doesn't believe in beetles/Beatles. Also cinnamon. Takes a bold man to deny cinnamon. Album Cover: (A-) A very nice peaceful photo.
I am putting this album on with some nervousness. I really did not like "Imagine", which was one of the first albums on our journey. All I know about Yoko Ono is her heavily meme'd personal projects, and that people say she broke up The Beatles. "Mother" is really good. This is a hundred times better than 'Imagine' to start. "Working Class Hero" wasn't my favorite song musically, but it did have some fantastic lyrics. "Hold On" is also great, very Beatles sounding song. "Isolation" is cool, it has some very Pink Floyd sounding moments. "Remember" and "Love" were a little weaker. Am I tripping out or did Yoko Ono not sing once on this record? Wikipedia credits her with vocals, but I'm not sure I even noticed them. 7/10
Listened Before? N Wow, this album surprised me. I don't know why - it's John Freaking Lennon... but I didn't expect it to be as good as it is (for whatever reason). It just goes to show that his he was a complete singer/songwriter even without the other guys (much like McCartney has proven - and the other two to some extent). I really enjoyed the music, and I liked how raw it was compared to late Beatles records with their grandeur and over production. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist : Working Class Hero
Very strong, emotionally intense (sometimes raw), fully committed and credibly executed (if a bit rough here and there and not exactly innovative in instrumentation), though maybe a bit too overtly therapeutic (that is, musicmaking as therapy) for its own good. Best cuts include “Mother,” “Hold On,” "I Found Out," “Working Class Hero," and“Isolation” – which make for a terrific Side 1. "Look at Me" and “God" nearly redeem a much weaker side 2. "Love" is too much, for instance, John overrearching as artists of over-sharing /overexposed, borderline naive/sentimental but still courageous ilk often do. "God" shows the risks (cataloguing too much) and rewards (pure authenticity, almost of the emo variety, the almost unberably vulnerable/ touching end) of that approach. it's both defiantally individualistic and uplifting in terms of praising the transformative power of love, and one does feel good for him, as editors suggest. Speaking of love, Yoko was net-net good for JL, one firmly believes, especially during the immediate, post-Beatles period. This worth knowing and its serious content means it's worth taking seriously, too.
this lyrical style is usually difficult for me but i enjoyed it here
Good record. The rawness of the lyrics made it a bit disconcerting for me but some wonderful tunes on it. Probably 4.5
Def need to look into this on vinyl.
This production is just stellar. The writing is innovative. Beautiful arrangements. John has a bit of an ego that causes him to not realize when an idea is bad. He’ll think it’s experimental in a good way and that lends to the bits on this album that don’t work. The ending of “Mother” where his cries for his parents stop feeling heartfelt and simply turn annoying. While I believe a working class hero is something to be, I don’t believe John when says it. A good amount of range while still having a solid theme throughout. An incredibly respectable album. It was fun and, though I’m not John’s biggest phan, he created a really great album here with very few faults. 4/5
The Beatles were the family's favorite band growing up as we spent many weekend hours shuttling across states for visits with my father. And across those miles, we sang the Beatles songs from songbooks as the farms rolled by. It's no wonder that I have a deep relationship with John Lennon's voice. At this album we find him deeply in love with Yoko and spinning out the songs at the beginning of the end of the Beatles. The album's Mother, Working Class Hero, and Love are important songs that have lived way beyond the time of their writing-- this album is almost 55 years old now. Amazing.
"I don't believe in Beatles..."
Primal therapy sounds pretty weird, but if it gets results like this… It sounds like John Lennon was really going through it. Unearthing childhood trauma, in the wake of the collapse of the Beatles, Lennon bares all. Well, actually, he bared a bit more on his first solo album cover, and in that Rolling Stone photo. But emotionally, he let it out during the recording of “John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band.” The result is a terrific album. The only song that gave me pause was “Working Class Hero,” which sounded like a derivative rip-off of “Masters of War.” Bothered me while listening, but apparently they are both based off of Jean Ritchie’s arrangement of the traditional folk song “Nottamun Town,” which sent me on an interesting deep dive of Ritchie’s career chronicling folk music.
There's a stark contrast between The Beatles' final album Let it Be and John's first solo project post-breakup. The slick production and catchy pop-rock tunes are gone, opting for a stripped back sound. That alone is enough to shock a regular Beatles listener, but throw in the raw, tell-it-like-it-is lyrics and it's a jump into ice water. John tells you how he really feels on society, religion, loss, and more. Hearing this in 2024 is still wild; I can't image hearing it in late 1970, 7 months after Let it Be. I will say that although the raw lyricism is a highlight of the album, I do find it a bit preachy for casual listening. That's maybe to be expected with an album with this mission statement, and I do find a lot of it relatable, but it can be a little on the nose. There's a chance that's due to having 50 years worth of media with these same sentiments expressed in a more nuanced and subtle method. Landmark piece of music either way! *Heard before.
Really.enjoyed it and I will listen again
The music on this can be short and simple at times but it's direct and hits hard. I honestly don't see or hear the self-centered, pretentious accusation that some are throwing out. To me, this album feels the opposite of such a characterisation. Lennon genuinely airs out his pain and his emotions are imprinted on every track. I do wish some of the music had a bit more to it, but then again it might also be the case that doing so would lose some of that rawness which makes it hard to say. This album is sobering, raw and personal, which makes it pretty good in my book.
Cherry pie. 9.7/10.
Actually pretty good for his post Beatles debut. It's raw and simple, the emotion is right on the surface. Like early Bob Dylan, but more personal. It's not really an easy listen, but that's what makes it "real".
Even after the end of the Beatles, John Lennon was no slouch when it came to writing songs. Energywise, this album may be a low key affair, but I enjoyed it thoroughly. 4/5
Really listenable, but didn’t feel profound. Really thought John Lennon would have gone way farther out when he went solo.
Was really concerned this one would be bad, but actually it was really pretty solid. The production was good and the songs were individually good as well. It works as an album, and I was pretty into it. Nice surprise. 3.66/5
Lennon is a bastard, but by god did he make incredible music. A-
3.5/5. Good, I find this easy to listen to.
Gritty post-Beatles debut that's just a tad uneven. Teenage-me was completely obsessed with 'Working Class Hero'.
4.5/5. Naturally, Yoko Ono doesn’t exist to me but it is a great record. Lennon didn’t have much writing input on Let It Be because he was saving his best for this.
Very strong overall and the primal scream therapy stops just short of being obnoxious or too much. The straightforward, even sweet piano melodies leaven the pain, which is authentic sounding (and not purely performative) and adds depth. Indeed, the piano seems to be the dominant instrument here; a criticism would be that there could have been more variety in the instrumentation. The intensity and sharpness of “Mother,” “Hold On,” “Working Class Hero,” “Isolation” and “God” more than make up for the few mishits (e.g., “Love” which gets borderline mawkish[likely the cost of his finding personal happiness with Yoko] and very dodgy, bomb-going-off ending on “Remember”). Lennon let it all hang out, and would sometimes go too far in terms of sloppiness and sentimentality, but with it came all the classics, including a few of the gems here. This has been well worth revisiting.
First time listening to a solo Lennon record. I'm not going to write an entire essay about it for once, but its very good. Introspective John Lennon isn’t something I thought I needed, but here we are. 8.5/10
The second Beatles solo album I've heard - by one of the members at the band's lyrical forefront (alongside Yoko Ono). Comparing this to Harrison's 'All Things Must Pass', I do find this album far more tangible and direct with its statements; with Lennon coming off as bolder and more conscious in his writing. Be that the family matters tackled in a song like 'Mother', the stark criticism of capitalism in 'Working Class Hero', and the blind idolization (even relating to himself) of 'God'. Compared to Harrison's album, I did generally enjoy the music a bit less, especially when it came to the harder tracks like 'Well Well Well' which didn't do much for me. The light piano on 'God', and the tight and sunny groove on 'Hold On' were highlights. I also enjoy this album's brevity, in its songs and when it comes to the album as a whole. I mean it's a Beatles solo album from the early 70s, it would be hard for me to not like this thing.
I really enjoy it as a rock album, it simple and raw sounding.
Quick, which Beatle first had a #1 on the Billboard as a solo artist? Not John Lennon. Not Paul McCartney, either. It was George Harrison. I'm not saying the two needed each other to produce great music. This album has a lot of good to great songs on it, but as the first REAL solo album (not counting the experimental stuff he did), you have to wonder how some of it would have sounded if the others came in and tweaked it a bit. But on the other hand, songs like "Mother" would not have been done, I don't think. It was too personal and angry to be on any sort of Beatles album. About half of this album is on the John Lennon Collection / greatest hits album, which gives you a sense of how good it is, I think. Songs like "Well Well Well," "God," "Working Class Hero," all show you where Lennon's mind was at this point. He wasn't just angry, but he was frustrated and wanted to tell it to the world. I prefer the live version of "Mother," the fade-out does not seem as effective to me. Strong album, almost a primordial scream for Lennon, although I never cared for the drum sound on some of the songs. I know it's Ringo playing, but ultimately the sound doesn't work for me as much.
8 / 10 Escuchado ahora, es sin duda un buen álbum. Bastante crudo, con poca instrumentación y con Jon expresando su rabia tanto en las letras como con su voz. Me imagino que el fan de los Beatles en los 70 quedaría totalmente decepcionado, porque Jon sin duda quiso separarse de lo que eran los últimos discos de Beatles.
Parts of it are as whiney as I thought they'd be, but the album does pull you in emotionally between good songwriting and raw emotion. Having experienced some intense experiences in therapy myself, it seems fair to give John Lennon some credit here (as well as the album not featuring Yoko much), but he does still get a bit carried away and leave the healing process and maturity "unfinished"
Probably Lennons best solo album and its his first. You can hear him really creating his own sound here. Great first 3 tracks. I couldnt remember I found out and loved it. Working class hero has always been one of my faves. Favourite song: Working class hero. Least favourite: God and look at me Album artwork: Love the cover. Great tree!!!!
pretty good. i listened to the ultimate mix and lennons vocals and the drums were so clear. the listen overall was pretty enjoyable. idk what else to say its just nice and the songwriting felt sincere. that cookie part in hold on caught me off guard though. 4 personal favs: mother, isolation, love
Solid. I think John is best when tempered by the rest of the Beatles, but this is still strong.
Jemig, wat kan die John Lennon schreeuwen. Kennelijk moest het er even uit, die spanningen met de collega-Beatles en kennelijk ook z'n moeilijke jeugd. Hoe dan ook, je gaat deze plaat algauw vergelijken met de albums van de Fab Four. Er is hier minder gekte en meer eenheid, meer rust ook (zolang hij niet blèrt). Ik vond het boeiender dan die eerdere soloplaat die we al te verstouwen kregen.
I'm not really a big fan of The Beatles of John Lennon, but I have to admit, he was very innovative in late 60s and early 70s. Songs like Mother, or I Want You for Abbey Road really started defining a new genre in music. I love the outro in Mother especially, that's some heavy stuff with the gentlest melody in the background. The rest of the album is pretty solid, it makes a really nice and enjoyable experience. Good job Johnno.
Great album. One I have heard but it is a good listen so I am not surprised to see it here.
I was not in fact ready for the screaming. I have never dived into John Lennon's solo work, but I enjoyed this listen.
Wat kan ie schreeuwen he
Ese mismo año 1970 se publicó Let it be, el epitafio de The Beatles. Mientras grababan ese disco también trabajaban en sus respectivos discos en solitario. Así, McCartney y Harrison presentaron dos, con diferente recepción por la crítica, excelentes discos de debut (los dos anteriores de George eran meramente experimentales), completamente diferentes entre sí y al de Lennon, un álbum íntimo donde las letras cobran especial protagonismo (la edición japonesa se tituló "El alma de John") y las melodías rayan a gran nivel. Mother y God son las más conocidas, junto con Working class hero. La tres son grandes canciones que no envejecen. Hold on, Look at me e Isolation, son pequeñas joyas, dignas de ser escuchadas. Well Well WEll y I found out suenan tan crudas e indies como Lennon sabe hacer. Remember sigue sonando a The Beatles, con ringo a la batería en esta y en todo el álbum. También colaboraban Billy Preston (Power to the people y God) y Klaus Voormann (colaborador habitual -fundamental su trabajo en múltiples portadas- aquí tocando el bajo en todo el disco). Love cuenta con Phill Spector al piano, un tema que resuena a The long and winding road pero más sencillo y ligero. El finla con My mummy´s dead es en realidad una nana con efecto vintage cantada de forma desinteresada. Es un disco excelente, aunque yo tengo debilidad por McCartney, este es superior al de Paul. Otras obras fundamentales de 1970: LED ZEPPELIN-III, THE KINKS- Lola versus Powerman and the moneygoround, CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL - Cosmo's factory y Pendulum, VAN MORRISON - Moondance, THE STOOGES - Fun house, THE DOORS - Morrison hotel, NEIL YOUNG - After the gold rush, THE VELVET UNDERGROUND - Loaded, BADFINGER - No dice, GEORGE HARRISON - All things must pass, FLAMIN' GROOVIES - Flamingo, IKE & TINA TURNER - Come together, ERIC BURDON & WAR - The Black-Man's Burdon, MC5 - Back in the USA, DAVID BOWIE - The man who sold the world, WILLIE DIXON - I am the blues, FLYING BURRITO BROS - Burrito Deluxe, SANTANA- Abraxas, Miles Davis- Bitches brew, Simon and Grafunkel- Bridge over Troubled Water, SIXTO RODRIGUEZ- Cold fact, THE SOFT MACHINE -III, JJ PERREY- Moog Indigo, THE WHO- Live at Leeds... y debuts de Black Sabbath (además de Paranoid),Elton John y Kraftwerk.
Another album that exceeded expectations. Thank fuck Yoko One wasn't audible in any way, in fact, the wikipedia page for the album lists her contribution as "wind". The fuck does that mean? She guffed on record?
George did this better.
It’s really gotten under my skin in a good way
Good
Mother, Working Class Hero and Love are all incredible songs - really enjoyed the whole album.
God. There I said it.
A personal, honest and raw album, almost to a fault. We hear pain and frustration dripping out of the speakers. It was a brave release, very minimal in its production, which is a relief after the bombastic later records of the Beatles. Because this is really a therapeutic album for Lennon it seems, he sometimes forgot to also make some of the songs more memorable.
4/5
4/5
the whole situation between john and ono was... nuts. there's certainly no denying that john's music was equally such. really emotional and psychological stuff. it's absolutely quite the album but it's definitely not the most comfortable i've felt. wow what the fuck.
I really enjoyed this album with nice rediscovery of old songs!
Love Lennon but this album was just ok.
This was a surprisingly powerful album. I've shared bits and pieces of my relationship with the Beatles, which is that there really isn't one at all. On top of that, I was never a fan of the Lennon Yoko thing. Not them, but that whole relationship. Fans just made that some clash point for everything. She ruined the band, John went soft, John's a simp, why is John walking down the alley that way after leaving Yoko's house. So I never got into the solo stuff. But hearing this, it made me a little sad just knowing his overall story and his passing. This guy feels like a man who was held up on high in the Beatles and then when he fell in love and left he was vilified (I think) and he basically just said screw it, I'm going to do my own thing. He makes this album, pouring his soul into it, and, again, I'm not sure if he has more albums or what but this felt like his manifesto in some ways. He is being himself, he is a little love struck, a little saddened by the world, seems like some of his idols have fallen off their perch. Add that to the album cover and I just kept thinking "Poor guy". I loved Working Class Hero, Love, and Well Well Well. It is said above that this was his best solo album so I hope we don't get any more (kidding, but also not...we need more variety)
Soothing.
Good album
Not perfect but I am far more forgiven towards Mr. Lennon.
Favourite song - Hold on
Favorite Tracks: Working Class Hero Isolation Hold On
At first it sounds like a bunch of unfinished songs but after a while the lyrics start to worm their way into your brain. It really does deserve a bit more time. Faves: Remember (for the explosion), and God (for self belief)
Pretty good, preeeetty good. I was kinda expecting something abrasively avant-garde - maybe I'm thinking of Yoko's solo stuff? Fave tracks - "Working Class Hero" is obviously the big one, and it rightfully deserves the acclaim it gets - cracking song. Enjoyed the screaming in "Well Well Well", and have to add "Hold On" for the cookie monster cameo!
Very raw album, probably Lennons best, it’s not a masterpiece as has some flaws, like the man himself, but still a classic.
Not nearly as bad as I had expected.
Really liked this album, with some golden oldies. I understand why people state that it may be his best album
This is a really difficult one to rate. I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with it. Towards the end of The Beatles, I get the feeling John became pretty insufferable and it frequently comes across in his songs. He was still a musical genius, but I find a lot of his lyrics 1968- petulant or self-obsessed to a boring degree. I also think, without Macca, he lost the ability to craft his less inspired stuff into something worthy of the standards they set together. That said, there are songs on here, mostly front-loaded on the first side, that are pretty amazing, it’s just that they’re rubbing shoulders with some mean spirited, or pretentious filler. The beginning is strong, the tolling bell and smash-cut to the opening line of Mother is definitely an attention-grabber. I love the super-dry drum sound and heavy reverb on the piano. It’s by far the most effective of his parent-fixated songs on the album, it’s a beautiful melody, brilliantly sung, the build to the emotional climax is gripping. This would have done me. Subject covered. 10/10. Move on… And he does. For a bit. Hold On is a necessary chill out after the rawness of the opener. Love the fast tremolo on the guitar. It’s pretty - a clever almost pastiche of a traditional Japanese melody. I Found Out is where things start to get complicated. I like the scuzzy feel of it, the bass dominating the mix. It feels almost punk it’s so lo-fi, but the lyrics really annoy me, it’s all a bit petulant and childish. Working Class Hero is better, but there’s an undercurrent of smugness to it that I really dislike. I, the great John Lennon, have figured out the class system, why are you ‘fucking peasants’ playing along with it? Because we’re not all mega-rich, genius rock stars John, and we need to keep a roof over our heads. Isolation on the other hand is in my top 5 John songs. Thoughtful lyric, great climbing piano chords in the verses, just brilliant. Remember feels like two different song ideas welded together, so it doesn’t really go anywhere, and the explosion ending is a bit of a gimmick. Love, a bit like Hold On, is simple but gorgeous in a dream-like way, but then we’re back to more dull psychodrama with Well, Well, Well. Again, I like the production (echoey drums, Revolution guitar tone) but it’s basically just a jam in search of a decent lyric and the screaming histrionics feel like a schtick second time around. There’s more filler in the shape of Look at Me - aka Julia with less interesting lyrics - before another flash of absolute genius. God’s lyric is what the rest of the album should be. A mature rejection of, and farewell to, the false idols of the last decade that doesn’t feel sneering or bitter. It’s properly cathartic. It should close the album. But it doesn’t. First we have to suffer My Mummy’s Dead, the nadir of Lennon’s musical navel-gazing. This is basically an early midlife crisis set to music. It’s almost schizophrenic in terms of tone, and swings wildly between the insightful and empathetic and the childishly arrogant. Thankfully, the invention of the skip button means I can just ignore the preachy, self-indulgent shit and focus on the moments of inspiration. A four, mainly on the strength of Mother, Isolation and God.
Painful and magical - the recent 6 cd set shows you, similar to the All Things Must Pass set, how fully formed some demos were on take 1, but also how the music transforms through collaboration. Some amazing moments on this - and great to hear a clean Lennon vocal that isn't double tracked
There's no question that John made this album for himself and absolutely nobody else (although I'm sure he would say he made it for Yoko). Artists don't make work for other people. That's why they are artists. Struggled a bit with this at first. So I went through it again.
It's bean a Beatle-y kind if week, what with Sgt Pepper, Band on the Run, and now this. I love the guitar tone in Hold On. Well Well Well is another highlight. I like Mother a fair bit less. A low 4.
Not bad
Truly brilliant album. I love the rawness of the guitars, the depth of the lyrics I think this is an album everyone should hear.
4,5 *
Very good and relatable album. All of them were musical geniuses 4 stars (4.5 actually)
Guttural, personal album. It's what John needed for catharsis after the breakup if the Beatles. I bet it hit the scene like a wrecking ball when it came out.
In Lennon's solo debut, he puts out all of his emotions into a stripped-down folk rock record with notable avant-garde suggestions from Yoko Ono. It's raw and personal, with seemingly no filter on what Lennon expresses, sometimes going full proto-punk with screaming abrasively into the mic. I consider it his best release. Unlike other Beatles solo projects like RAM or All Things Must Pass, I'm not finding any mindblowing hits here. But there are many beautiful earworm melodies. Many tracks also evoke various era from the Beatles, most notably the guitar in "Hold On" or "Look at Me". I just wish there was a bit more than them. He throws in some quirks and random noises here and there, but some songs felt too simple without going much elsewhere unless his lyrics got to an "emotional" part where it just picks up in volume or abrasiveness. With only 9 tracks, every one has something different to offer. Whether it has a clear or "live" production sound, or the choice of electric vs acoustic, or the tempo of fast garage to slow ballads. "Mother" and "Well Well Well" could be shorted by 2 minutes, but otherwise every song feels complete and warrants its time. It's a wonderful versatile listen where every choice feels justified. And although I don't agree with every decision he makes, I can understand this is Lennon's album, and the choices he makes reflects his emotions and attitudes. And he's successful sharing what he feels. Favorites: Hold On, Love
Classic but weird
I make no secret of being a Beatles fan but that doesn’t mean I’m automatically a fan of John Lennon (the artist or the man). When I first heard this I found the screaming a bit grating, thought Lennon’s bitter worldview was somewhat tiresome and deemed there to be a general lack of bangers. And yet there’s something compelling about it that made me re-listen and ultimately re-evaluate. I now think this album’s pretty great. It’s raw and there are some really powerful moments vocally, lyrically and musically. Like this: ‘There's room at the top they are telling you still / But first you must learn how to smile as you kill’ Probably not an original sentiment, but it’s succinct and it hits hard, right? Right.
I really liked this album, I’ve heard some of the songs before but the whole thing is a solid listen. Hold On is a great song!
I've heard of this album, but have never listened. IIRC it was released directly following the dissolution of The Beatles. Album opens on and minimal drum and bass + piano melody with Mother. Vocals laced in echo; classically solid lyrics from Lennon playing to what appears to be deep seeded resentment for both his mother and father ("Mother you had me, but I never had you, I wanted you, but you never wanted me (...) Father you left me, but I never left you, I needed you, you didn't need me.") Some real anger coming through towards the end where he is shouting for his parents to come home. Love the guitar work and overlaid echo effect on Hold On. Reminds me a lot of the beachy vibes of Mac DeMarco. TBH the deep throated "cookie" caught me off guard lol. I'm surprised I've never heard Working Class Hero. Pretty cool, stripped down, acoustic ode to the every man. Interesting that even at his height of fame, he was able to write effective music tapping into the energy of the average individual. I think this skill has largely been lost on today's pop-elites who seem to lose touch with their origins. Remember has a structure and progression that makes me think immediately of Spoon. Well Well Well is pretty damned raw. Can't say I love it, but you can certainly feel that John had something to get out of his system. God is another where John seems to have an axe to grind. Spends the midsection telling of all the things he does not believe in (finishing with "The Beatles") and then closes by distancing himself from what he was as part of The Beatles, referencing no less than 3 classic Beatles hits in the same breath that he claims "the dream is over." This is a remarkably raw and emotional album, and I found a lot to enjoy in it. Standouts for me were Mother, Hold On, Working Class Hero, and God. I can't say this is something I would want to listen to over and over again, but I certainly appreciate it for what it is. Solid 4 / 5
Love Mother, makes me think of growing up listening to John Lennon on a portable CD player.
I liked the second half of this album more than the first half. Probably a 3.5 but rounding up to a 4.
I was very surprised to like this album. I was not a Beatles fan for a long time, and I really was not a Lennon solo fan even after I learned to appreciate and even like The Beatles. However, this album is much more interesting than "Imagine" ever was to me, in its production and compositions. It is more "rock" than folk in a lot of ways, and I was interested the entire way through. I would definitely listen to it again.
Really touched me, highlights are Mother and specially God which is a beautiful way of expressing the Beatles were over and he does not believe in any God, not even Zimmermann (Dylan) and the Beatles. Bless him.
amazing
Great album, a nice easy listening.
Artistin liioiteltu regressio on kivuliasta kuunneltavaa, minkä ansiosta levy tavoittaa jotain siitä väkivaltaisuudesta, jota metallibändit kai havittelevat. On totta, että osa kappaleista redusoituu luonnoksiksi, mutta joukossa on myös huippubiisejä (erityisesti Mother - mitä helvettiä), ja tunnelma sekä ilmiselvä inspiraatio kantavat läpi hätäisempienkin kehitelmien. Voitko uskoa: levy joka pitää kuulla ennen kuolemaa.
Nice album with nice songs. Definitely recommendable!
A few all time great songs, but too many not great songs.
Own
Gewoon goed, duidelijk een eigen stijl die anders is dan de Beatles.
Life story laid before us. Great insights. Simple, but compelling.
Great album. Didn’t know John had that dawg in him.
Very good
I think that this is as good of evidence as any that Yoko Ono was actually a positive creative influence on John, even if pretty much everything she made herself is pretty terrible. There's clear signs of Yoko's flavor of artistic weirdness woven between the sounds that made the Beatles legends, leading to a truly great and heartfelt album.
Some iconic songs
Probablemente el álbum merezca un 3, pero me sorprendió la variedad, la innovación y creatividad. Fuera de algunas fallas técnicas en la voz (intencionales), muy bien logrado.
As I mentioned before, I loved The Beatles. The breakup left my 10 year old brain shattered. I bought this album the year it came out, and still have it today. I really enjoyed listening to it again yesterday… knew most of the words like it was one of my favorites, though it’s been decades since I last played it. It left me sad and pissed. Sad that Lennon was taken from us, first by Ono, then by that other lunatic, Chapman. Pissed that he could be so easily manipulated by a self-indulgent, narcissistic, talentless skirt. I’ve known woman like this, and I’ve lost friends/family because of them. Fuck them! 4 stars because Ono is in the title.
Didn't know there were so many songs that I would recognize from this album. Now I know why it's on this list!
Too much of the same melody, but it's John Lennon so I guess that makes up for a bit. It just sounds like the white album supplemental
Hold on and I found out were my favorite, going to listen to this one again
me beeing a beatles fan i expected to like this one
Begrudgingly appreciate it
I did not want to like this.
Good
Solid plata hjá þeim.
Interesting sound and enjoyed it. Will listen more
sjeo mi je tek prije nekoliko dana, sviđa mi se
Great album from start to finish, except for the screaming in one of the tracks (maybe Well, well, well?). That was too much. Listen again: yes Purchase for my collection: if I see it cheap Favourite Song: Hold On
+ Mother, Hold On, Isolation, Love
It has the track "Love"! Then that's good enough.
Rock
With the benefit of hindsight this is what I expected. I liked it most of the time although I could have done without a couple of songs (looking at you Well Well Well).
Definite mummy issues here! But also surprisingly solid, it's interesting that Lennon went inwards while McCartney went ... wherever he went.
I enjoyed this record and I was a little surprised by that. Several songs resonated with me.
Tem alguns fados, em geral é agradável de ouvir, alguns momentos depre com o próprio john afirmando que o sonho acabou
John Lennon may have been a pretentious piece of shit but he really did make good music. I've always really liked hold on (especially the cameo by the cookie monster) and the blue rock middle of this album plus the more power balladish isolation were all great. It loses me a bit at the end with his usual pretentiousness on tracks like god but overall it was pretty good.
John Lennon's deeply personal debut solo album. Raw and direct, this is in various places raspingly noisy, and innocently touching. The best Lennon solo record that I've heard, Side 1 is perfect but there are just a couple of weaker tracks on Side 2. Rating: 4/5 Playlist track: Love Date listened: 07/12/23
This is either the best or second-best John solo album. I love the rawness, the emotion, the bitter anger tempered with soothing love. A few too many rough edges for me but a fine album that captures where our boy was at in 1970.
7/10. I like Working Class Hero, and the album sounds pretty nice throughout, but John Lennon waxing philosophical doesn't always quite hit.
I liked this better than Imagine. 8/10
I didn't realise I knew so many John Lennon songs! This was a good opportunity to relisten. Mother is a theme tune to a TV series I like and I didn't even realise. Hold On has been a form fave for years! Loved the variety on this album. Bluesy goodness, sweet ballads and some rocky ones
A pretty good album, but not as good as the Beatles together in my opinion.
Good!! The opening track is my favourite.
Have you ever seen the footage of John Lennon singing with Chuck Berry? Yoko is there too, and contributes quite astoundingly. If you haven’t seen it, I recommend with all my heart that you look that up before doing anything else with your day. I’ve not heard today’s album before, but the mention of Plastic Ono Band definitely makes me hesitant. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Working Class Hero, Isolation This felt like a pleasant soft rock experience. It didn’t feel quite as strong as Paul or George’s solo endeavours, or indeed anything by the Beatles as a whole, but it was still enjoyable. Thankfully, I didn’t notice any Yoko vocals (if you watched that video above, you’ll know why I’m thankful). This album was filled with emotionally charged lyrics, seemingly referring to a not-so-nice childhood and complicated feelings towards his mother.
Classic Lennon. This isn't my favourite kind of music but you can't deny Lennon's mastery of it. I would absolutely listen to this on a summer morning
Well, well, well. I struggled to rate this album, at first, I gave it a 3 because of Lennon and Ono's pretentiousness. But after listening to a few songs a second time, I can respect the appeal and even find myself enjoying the music. God is the standout song on the album. IF this song wasn't included the album would be a 3/5
Pleasantly surprised, some songs are a lot heavier than I thought they’d be. Feels like a natural progression for Lennon, although some could literally be Beatles tracks. 3.5 to 4
Not bad for the 3rd best Beatle
Good album, good to finally listen to Lennon’s full first album. Lot of pain in the album, powerful lyrics, good music, albeit more simplistic than the Beatles compositions. 4/5!
I saw Ono in the title and was immediately thought I’d be skipping through this album to save my ears from bleeding. Yet to my surprise it was lovely. John has some great songs on this album. 3.5 but rounding up for 4⭐️
lovely
It’s John Lennon. It’s great. Not as good as the Beatles but still great.
Much better than expected even though I am usually more of a McCartney fan.
I really like Lennon's solo/Yoko albums (yes, even Double Fantasy). I think their dreamy melancholy appeals to me. I am Pro-Ono
I didn't know anything about this album but it grew on me with every listen. There are aspects that remind me of White Stripes -- a very simple, broken down, raw emotion. The notes say that Lennon was into "primal scream" therapy at the time, and that clearly shows up in a couple of songs. Interesting that it wasn't very popular at the time but has grown in importance over time.
I don't think I've ever listed to solo Lennon before and I loved this. 4.5
first Lennon after Beatles, good
Some absolute trash mixed in with some of the prettiest pop songs ever written.
I like this one a lot, maybe my favourite solo outing of John Lennon. Backed by incredible musicians he made some very strong songs! 8,5 out of 10
😍
Great. Amazing lyrics and beat. Definitely glad that I revisited it.
I don’t like John Lennon. He’s a confirmed sack of shit, but god damn if this album isn’t catchy. Subtract a star for trash bag but still dang
Mother is always a great song. Plenty to enjoy here.
This isnt as good as the best Beatles material, but for someone who beat his wife its still damn great.
Simple, catchy and soothing
The musical equivalent of an open wound. Emotionally honest and even nihilistic at times in a way that's frequently hard to hear, but also deeply compelling. But while John Lennon has a way of pulling out every emotion and wringing it until not much is left, I find the weak point of this album is his songwriting, which is fairly repetitive and simplistic. Fave Songs: Working Class Hero, I Found Out, Mother, Isolation, Well Well Well, My Mummy's Dead
Dug this. Has a lot more sauce than (what I remember of) Imagine.
Johm lemon
My second favorite post-Beatles album. John just dumps everything on the floor. His therapy and marriage to Yoko help him put out some of his best writing ever. Just hearing his voice makes me sad that we were robbed of some of his best work and perhaps a reunion with Paul. 4/5.
Nice!
This sounds good from the start, which is always a great sign! However, the first song is incredibly sad. Reminds me of Nick Cave's 'Ghosteen' a little bit. I also understand he is screaming due to his therapy but it is incredibly unsettling to listen to. Nevertheless, I think the screaming/rasping actually does complement the music in the first song. It gets old quickly, as shown when he does it in other songs. 'Hold On' is excellent. This man is not a good singer. I knew he was an acquired taste from 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' but one full album is hard to listen to. This would be a 5/5 with different lyrics. I know it was important to him that he wrote the songs with those lyrics but they are very, very depressing and/or difficult to listen to. Those instrumentals are class. Except for that strange bomb noise at the end of 'Remember'. Favourite songs: 'Hold On', 'Isolation' 7/10.
Very solid album and one I really enjoyed. 4/5
Wonderfully and stylishly produced - with some really powerful songs. Of the Beatles I think Lennon is for me the most punk and has the most ‘fizz’ so to speak - Working Class Hero is as a classic as they can possibly come - so is ‘I found out’ and ‘Mother’. A great record.
4.0
A really heart-wrenching and emotional album, you can tell that John was pouring his heart into this one. Sometimes he gets a bit screechy which does feel a tad over the top, and keeps this from being rated higher.
likte detta bedre enn eg såg for meg
Phew, finding neither screaming nor "Imagine" was a relief.
Hard to be objective about ol' JL. This album is fantastic though - probably more consistent than any other Lennon solo album, if not quite reaching the highs. Love, God and Working Class Hero are all in the very top echelons of Lennon songs, and therefore of human endeavour.
I never loved yoko, and I was expecting her on the album. She's not there, luckily. He went down on the primal scream thing, but I must say it was a good listen.
Quite a few really great songs here but some weaker ones thrown in. Give Peace a Chance, Cold Turkey followed by Instant Karma is a fantastic closing trio.
If imagine is on here it will get a 5. I think this album was probably a bigger statement piece at the time than it is today. It is still painful to hear him say he doesn’t believe in Beatles, but I imagine that was earth shattering in 1970. Mother, and Working Class hero are excellent songs, but not everything on here is that level. You can feel Paul’s absence. I get that these songs were more about primal feelings but I don’t think the execution was perfect. Would get a 4.5 if possible.
Skulle vært 5 men yuko
Plastic Ono Band showcased Lennon going through a production change, and even though there are ups and downs throughout the tracklist, the overall songwriting feels personal.
I thought I never really liked John Lennon’s solo work based on the stuff that got airplay. But I really enjoyed this! I don’t think I have ever heard any of the tracks on this album before. Top picks for me are “Working Class Hero”, “Remember” and “Well Well Well”
The music is pleasant and enjoyable. I just don't particularly love John's voice.
Debut post Beatles solo album from everyone’s favourite resident hypocrite and sook. Regrettably though, even considering my dislike for him (and his whining and primal screaming on several songs) this is still unfortunately a good album. ‘Mother’ is as harrowing a song as I’ve ever heard. Fuck me.
Lot of great solo Lennon. A couple forgettable tracks
this album is pretty heavy as far as its subject matter… dealing with childhood trauma and self discovery. it’s clear that john lennon had a troubled childhood and this album was his way of dealing with it. great album.
An honestly pretty strong showing from my least favorite Beatle. I think this is his best work that I heard, and Working Class Hero was honestly INCREDIBLE.
It was surprising to actually like this, but it is still missing something in my opinion to really finish it off and make it shine, and I think it is mostly in the songwriting area.
For an album with Yoko Ono, it’s not as experimental as I thought it would be. Maybe it’s the poppier, John Lennon side of things, but John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (different from Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band) is a very raw pop album. The production is very minimal, you can hear all the imperfections, only improved by John Lennon’s performance. His screaming really adds something to this album, specifically on the tracks Mother and Well Well Well. Mother is a very nice and pleasant pop track, ending in Lennon screaming out for his mother and father. It’s very, very emotionally potent and one of the best tracks on the album. Well Well Well is more akin to blues rock with an odd interlude, delving into garage rock sounds with screamed vocals. This has the best and rawest performance on the album, hands down. This is all over the album but I believe these two songs to be the best examples. Generally, the sounds are close to pop and rock music. It’s very nice in all honesty. But the rawness and the production takes it to truly another level. Hell, I believe the production and performances to make this album worthy of a 9/10 rating.
4.1 + Having been thoroughly unimpressed by "Imagine", I came to this project with some trepidation. Whereas "Imagine" finds Lennon sounding jaded, here he sounds open-hearted, baring his soul while confronting an existential crossroad. He comes to terms with past traumas ("Mother"), finds meaning in new spiritual paths ("Hold On"), while recalibrating old mindsets that left emptiness in their wake ("Remember", "God"). Considering the meteoric rise of the Beatles (their studio recordings span just 7 years), it's little wonder that so much should change in Lennon's sound just one year later with the release of "Imagine." It's refreshing to hear him sound so human and so relatable.
The best solo release from John Lennon and one of the best of any of the post-Beatles albums. This is Lennon at his best, at a high point of his career but totally free to make his own art. It's close to perfect but I think could have been improved by using some alternative takes of a few songs. But there's still a lot to love about this album.
I didn't enjoy this album as much as I expected. Still, it's easy to see echoes of the last Beatles songs together with some experimentalism that would be impossible to be released under the Beatles brand even after the "White album". It's a interesting album, even far from what it can be considered the best
Terrific. 4/5
Way better than I was expecting, thought it was going to be very experimental, but was actually solid and full of feeling.
Better than it should be
I listened to this one a month or two ago out of curiosity, but I think I enjoyed it a little more upon relistening. There's a couple songs I don't really care about, but there's good stuff on here too. Sometimes his voice gets a bit too gruff when he's yelling, but it's not that big of a deal since it only happens a couple times. I love the haunting moments on here, like the beginning of the first song and the entirety of the last song. Wish there was a tad bit more of it. My favourite songs were Love, My Mummy's Dead, and Hold On.
Pretty solid record. Not my favorite solo Beatles work. This one is super raw and filled with emotion, which I appreciate.
🍪
It's good, but I didn't love it. It might be slightly more interesting than the Beatles' later albums and might be worth revisiting later on.