Reviews (page 4 of 7)
It's ok this, can't say I'd put it on again but wouldn't ask someone to turn it off either
None of their single stuff is as good to The Beatles stuff to me..
Well, this is decent. I think I liked Sir Paul’s first solo offering a lot better. Oh well…
Grumpy goths
Good
Arrogant and somewhat narcissistic. 3/5
Dude made 80% of the album saying how much he loves Yoko to have a fucking affair on her three years later
The parts are so much less than the sum of the whole.
I can't help but put this up against McCartney, which we got a month ago, and yeah, this is better. Both of them seem to be pretty emotionally unstable but John managed to write much more coherent songs.
stars are a concept by which we measure our pain
John Lennon is a man with a complicated legacy. There's no question that he was an incredibly gifted and talented songwriter, and also no question that he was kind of a shitty person. This is apparently his therapy album after the Beatles ended, and it shows in some very personal lyrics. I hadn't heard most of these songs before, since the only solo Lennon songs getting airplay that I recall were "Imagine," "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)," and "(Just Like) Starting Over," none of which would fit on this album. This is very definitely angry Lennon, clearly trying to find his place in the world, and that's the undertone in every song, along with a very deep cynicism. Given that, there aren't really any standout songs on this album, and I think it works better as a coherent listen rather than just enjoying the singles or more well known tracks like "Working Class Hero."
An album of highs and lows, a couple of tracks that I knew already (I Found Out, Working Class Hero), through cover versions. I found it both accessible, perhaps just familiarity with his sound through the Beatles, but also like I need to unpack it a little bit too. There was ultimately enough here to keep me interested and return to it.
There's a song on here I know from the Royal Tenenbaums soundtrack and that was, for sure, the high point. The low point was that I wasn't paying attention in my music app and put on the Yoko Ono "Plastic Ono Band" album that has a nearly identical cover and listened to two tracks of that before realizing there was no earthly way that this listmaker would have put it on his list.
Parts of this felt very Bowie. Listenable, short.
01) Mother - 7,0 02) Hold On - 7,0 03) I Found Out - 7,0 04) Working Class Hero - 9,0 05) Isolation - 7,5 06) Remember - 6,5 07) Love - 6,5 08) Well Well Well - 6,0 09) Look at Me - 7,0 10) God - 6,5 11) My Mummy's Dead - 5,0 TOTAL: 6,82 (68/100) Current ranking: 571/931
Some of their solo stuff isn’t my fav. This album was ok but not something I’ll want to listen to often.
Parts of this are good. Other parts aren't. You can hear how parts have influenced other artists. I'm generally not sure why the solo output of key members of important bands should be here. I mean, there's a reason we don't have any Mick Jagger/Keith Richards/Roger Waters solo albums on this list. So why do we have Syd Barrett, Paul McCartney and John Lennon? This is not bad. But would it be here if Lennon hadn't been in The Beatles? Probably not.
Eh
Tortured and challenging, more of a shriek of separation than a fully realized collection of songs. Great moments though
6/10 Sometimes bands are more than the sum of their parts. John Lennon is obviously an incredibly talented songwriter and musician, but he also comes across as a self-obsessed egomaniac. When separated from his bandmates who knew him before he was THE John Lennon, it feels like there are times when he is given free rein to indulge his most base urges while no one, collaborator, producer or critic, is willing to tell the all powerful Beatle that perhaps some of his work isn’t quite up to his (admittedly obscenely high) standards. That being said, this is a decent album. There are moments of great quality here, but it is a pretty uneven record too. Mother is very good until it goes off the rails towards the end. Hold on is really nice, but then he does a cookie monster impression part way through that just throws the whole thing. And that’s the story of the record, really. Hints of the genius that John Lennon could be, but none of the restraint or refinement of his greatest work with The Beatles. I really don’t gel with his direct self focus and sixth-form philosophy either and when he’s writing in less directly self referential way, things work better, but frankly, I don’t really care about his or Yoko’s personal life and those moments take me out of the record a little too much. This feels like a record that, with a stronger production hand, could have been worked into something really good, but ends up sounding a bit like a slight stylistic mish-mash, with some of the work feeling a touch demo-like, rather than finalised pieces. It’s hard when you’ve set such a high bar to compete with, but my experience with Lennon is that he never really got close to that level again, at least in any consistent way. Mother - This is very stripped back and the core of it is decent enough with a few lovely moments of piano and bass playing. The vocal melodies are quite rambling in places and the vocal performance is a bit patchy and I get the intensity ramping, but it’s a little erratic even from the beginning and the more screamed stuff towards the end does jar against the vibe of the rest of the track. It’s quite repetitive too. Hold On - This is better (although what the fuck is the cookie monster bit all about?). It’s stripped back and stark, but the vibe is really lovely and the guitar work is particularly smooth and nicely put together, with the drums and bass backing it up really well. Much better. I Found Out - Dirty and groovy, this is a solid, gritty blues number. The guitar tone is delightfully crumbly and the bass and drums pin things down really well. There’s nothing particularly complex or advanced about it, but it’s a well executed track with a solid and enjoyable vibe. Working Class Hero - Another stripped back track and by making this a song more generically about the treatment of the working classes, rather than something specifically about himself, this works way better and connects more readily with me as a listener. It’s not complex, but the focus here is on the lyrical content and the music paints a really stark but pretty backdrop for those lyrics. It’s a very Bob Dylan-esque song and it’s pretty good stuff. Isolation - The jazzy edge to this is really nice and there’s really good dynamic range and variation to it too. The more forward middle section adds an extra bit of punch and flavour to it, but the chilled, swung vibe of the bulk of the track is really well delivered too. Again, when Lennon strips away his more blatant self referencing and makes things more relatable, even in a metaphorical sense, things work so much better. Yes, this is about Lennon and Ono, but that’s not front and centre and the lyrics could be relevant to anyone in certain situations. And it’s musically and vocally much more consistent and engaging. Remember - This is quite rhythmically repetitive and staccato. Even when the drums get a break into something a bit smoother and more flowing, the piano keeps on with that relentless pace. I mean, it’s not bad and the more flowing sections are pretty nice, but it’s a bit too aggressively staccato for my tastes. Love - This is fairly nice, but it does feel a bit like a demo rather than a finished song and is also incredibly reminiscent in places of In My Life, which Lennon wrote for the Beatles. It’s pretty and sparse, but also feels underdeveloped, like this could have been a wonderful song but it’s just a pleasant one. Well Well Well - The groove and grit of this is pretty good to start with. It’s bluesy, with a dirty swagger. It does then become quite repetitive and unnecessarily screamy. I’m not against that kind of vocal in the right context, but it doesn’t really connect with me particularly well here. The rest of the track is pretty cool though, even if it’s a bit on the repetitive side. The sound design and crunchiness of it works really well and the groove is pretty compelling. Look At Me - The double-tracked vocals here are pretty nice and this is a very Beatles-esque track that moves through some interesting different phases. There are moments of vocal weakness, but they work quite well with the vulnerable vibe of the track. Another pretty and sparse little effort. Not spectacular but well put together. God - And this is the kind of thing that turns me off John Lennon. It’s teenage philosophy that he thinks is deep, but is about as surface level as it gets. It’s also so self reverential and self obsessed that it just makes me cringe. A lot of people spent a lot of time putting the Beatles, and John Lennon specifically, on a pedestal, but it always felt a bit like the pedestal wasn’t quite as tall as he’d like it to be. The forced drama of “I don’t believe… in Beatles” with a cut to silence just makes my eyes roll right into the back of my head. Underneath that it’s actually a pleasant enough track, but it’s hard to look past the lyrics. My Mummy's Dead - What a strange little song that appears to have been recorded on the cheapest tape machine Lennon could get his hands on. It’s ok, I guess.
Working Class Hero is a good song. A lot of this (“Love”, for example) feels like it is trying hard to be deep. I suppose these are his real feelings, so fine. But I don’t really feel much interested in either his sappy sentiments about Yoko, or his mommy issues. I would like to never hear Well Well Well again. Mostly meh.
Fav- hold on 3/5
6/10
Hot take: I don't think every single Lennon, Mccartney and Beatles album needs to be on this list just because it's them. For example, this one could be trimmed, and I would still get the picture.
Pretty standard Lennon hippie music from before he went fully off the deep end
Decent and interesting
אהבתי את רוב החצי הראשון ואז אחרי remember הוא פשוט מאבד את זה. למרןת שאני צריכה להבין מה דעתי על God כי מרגיש לי שעבור מעריצי הביטלס זה שיר שמביא לדמעות. אני לא יכולה יותר לשמוע אותו אומר יוקו כמה קרינג׳
Second and finally Johnny Lennon, aye? I almost had a heart attack and had to feverishly make sure that I wasn't about to listen to the Loco Ono counterpart of this album when I first saw it appear on my list. Funnily enough, my only experience with the Beatleverse for a good chunk of my music-listening career was Abbey Road and the Yoko side of Plastic Ono band - the latter of which was listened to through the RYM recommendation system. Honestly, I can't blame myself for checking out of their music when that was my starting point (Abbey Road is good - it just wasn't a very good introductory album for me). Anyways, I've never listened to the Lennon side of this project. I'm expecting an easy-going, yet mildly self-indulgent soft rock album. Here's hoping I'm correct. Yeah, pretty much exactly what I was expecting. "Mother" offered a bit of a rough introduction, but the music quickly settled into itself. What's most interesting about this album to me is how it parallels McCartney's solo debut, with the music largely being a bunch of stripped-back acoustic stems. I wonder if they just so happened to land on the same idea with their debut albums or if it's just a testament to how well Lennon and McCartney worked as a songwriting duo. Anyways, the music. The minimal instrumentation of this album ensures that the acoustic guitars are a consistent highlight, guiding the songs along delicately. Other features like the bass guitars, pianos and percussion are also welcome additions, though they aren't as remarkable. The elephant in the room when it comes to this album is Lennon's hippie dippie ego. It never gets to the point of being overwhelming, though I'd be lying if I said there weren't a few eye-rollers in the lyrics of this album. The album also faceplants a little during the second half thanks to some long, droning tracks and it's also worth mentioning that "Look At Me" shamelessly takes a page out of Julia and Dear Prudence's book, though far be it from me to complain. Overall, this was a fine album with some adept songwriting moments, though the minimal style certainly does limit its appeal. Book time. Meant to close the page on John's history with The Beatles and his then-30 years of life, with 1970 being his "Year Zero". The rest of the book entry is kind of directionless tat. I don't need to consult Wikipedia for this album. I'm favourable to John Lennon having two solo albums on the list. Assuming this is one of his best releases, then I gladly cosign this inclusion.
Tricky one to judge. The good is rather good but the bad is a bit self-indulgent and weird. I enjoyed the three track run of Working Class Hero, Isolation and Remember but tracks like God and Love made me want to vomit. A bit of a mixed bag overall, and a 2.5/5 rounded up.
An interesting album for sure, I had high hopes for it.. I am a little disappointed to be honest Fav song - God 3/5
A 3 here for me, nothing very special, 'God' and 'Look At Me' were pretty good. Did not like the screaming in Well Well Well
Poor man; he really was carrying a colossal amount of pain around 😔; working class hero with a broken heart.
Just OK. Feels like somethings missing...
It’s pretty good. John Lennon was an amazing songwriter. This album feels threadbare. It sounds like he’s laying his cards on the table regarding how he felt about the Beatles, his own issues, and the state of the world.
This was a pretty chill album. There wasn't anything too exciting, but it was just alright having it in the background while I was doing other stuff. The album artwork represents how this album should be enjoyed - chilling on the grass, leaning against a tree.
Interesting album. Pretty raw and perhaps typical of JL to release something like this post-Beatles. Something that people are perhaps not expecting. Quite good in some places, not so much in others. Calm in some songs, very shouty in others.
Bit of a strange album with no flow, but a couple of high points including Working Class Hero.
There’s a tonne of emotion in this, much of it feels like confusion, contempt and anguish. I’m assuming that was the point, as musically it’s not that interesting at all, and none of the songs standout massively.
I was not previously familiar with this album. There are definitely some good things here but also some harsh angry songs as well. I could take or leave this honestly. When it comes to post-Beatles material, I think I like John's the least.
Was okay. Not too remarkable, i did think Lennon excessively screaming in these tracks were funny LOL Maybe id have to listen again to understand the artistry but all in all I don’t find it to be an amazing album
Im Herbst 1970 nahm John Lennon sein erstes richtiges Soloalbum in den Abbey Road Studios (EMI Studios 2 & 3, London) sowie in den Ascot Sound Studios auf seinem Anwesen Tittenhurst Park auf. Produziert gemeinsam mit Yoko Ono und Phil Spector, erschien das Album am 11. Dezember 1970 auf Apple Records – unmittelbar nach dem offiziellen Ende der Beatles. Der Sound ist bewusst minimalistisch gehalten: Ringo Starr am Schlagzeug, Klaus Voormann am Bass, gelegentlich Billy Preston am Klavier – mehr braucht es nicht. Der Schlüssel zum Verständnis dieses Albums liegt in der Primärtherapie nach Arthur Janov, der Lennon dazu brachte, unverarbeitete Kindheitstraumata – die Abwesenheit des Vaters, den frühen Tod der Mutter – direkt in Songs zu überführen. Das Ergebnis sind Stücke wie „Mother", „Working Class Hero" und „God", die ohne jede Schutzschicht auskommen. In „God" listet Lennon auf, woran er nicht mehr glaubt – und endet mit dem Satz, der die Beatles endgültig begrub. Es ist eine der mutigsten Gesten der Popgeschichte. Was dieses Album von anderen Bekenntnisalben unterscheidet, ist seine handwerkliche Disziplin: Trotz allem emotionalen Gewicht bleibt die Produktion kontrolliert, die Arrangements atmen. Songs wie „Isolation" oder „Love" besitzen eine zerbrechliche Schönheit, die den Schmerz nicht illustriert, sondern trägt. Man muss dieses Album nicht mögen – aber man kommt nicht unberührt heraus. Einer der wichtigsten Soloerstlinge der Rockgeschichte: roh, ehrlich und von unvermindert verstörender Aktualität.
Väldigt stark trea ändå, en del riktigt balla grejer
Lite intressant ibland men inget som direkt fick min uppmärksamhet.
Överlag inte superintressant o rätt weird, men några låtar är fina o väger upp ändå
Working Class Hero is a Bob Dylan ripoff 100%. "Mother" is annoying as hell. This is Lennon being a super edgy teenager thanks to his insane partner. the other solo album he has on this list at least made sense. this is kinda ass.
Highlights: Mother, Hold On, God 3.2
603/1001 2026.04.29 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑
There have been many a day looking through the stacks for Neil Young’s Nowhere album I found this one, which has a similar cover design. John wasn’t my favorite Beatle, but I still have/had respect for him. I also still hold that all the members of the Beatles were better together than separate, even if they did write some unforgettable songs. I had heard Working Class Hero before, and always found it redundant to excess. This album definitely had some contrasts, the softness of At Me and Love (my key track) to the raw emotion of Well Well Well. Overall, I liked this album well enough but I don’t know if it deserves the hype it has historically received.
A real mixed bag.
Bang average. I don’t know, I’m not one of these weird, sad Lennon haters, I just thought this was pretty mid. 6 / 10 Best track/s: Isolation, I Found Out
Classic Lennon and a very personal album.
Some good. Some not.
Kende het album nauwelijks op een paar nummers na. Had er wat meer van gehoopt maar niet per se verwacht. Bij de Beatles was Lennon altijd een interessantste factor qua sfeer, de concepten en persoonlijkheid. Op dit album is het misschien te veel van het goede. Het is wel rauw en persoonlijk maar muzikaal had ik op wat meer gehoopt. De minimalistische productie is niet het probleem maar de nummers zelf zijn gewoon niet zo sterk. Het blijft wat op afstand.
Leuk om eens te horen, interessant ook om de persoonlijke kanten te zien van alle individuele Beatles. John Lennon heeft met dit album ervoor gekozen om zijn persoonlijke moeilijkheden en frustraties te delen. Wat begint met de song Mother over het verliezen van zijn ouders op jonge leeftijd. Het nummer Hold On vond ik erg lief, hoe hij zichzelf toezingt en daarna Yoko. Met als boodschap dat ‘ t allemaal wel goed komt. Ik hou erg van de zachte kant van John wat ook te horen is op Love en Look at Me. De rest van de nummers klinken op zijn John's erg pessimistisch en af en toe een tikkeltje paranoia (I found out). Well well well vond ik dan weer verschrikkelijk om naar te luisteren. Dat geschreeuw vond ik weer een beetje Kurt Cobain achtig, niet leuk dus. Het zou goed kunnen dat het ligt aan de therapiesessies die John destijds onderging voor het verwerken van zijn jeugdtrauma's. Verder maakt hij een statement dat hij niet meer in de Beatles geloofd, en ik geloof hem wel. de productie klinkt erg minimalistisch en er zitten geen popachtige knal hits tussen zoals we die van The Beatles gewend zijn. Het is hierdoor veel persoonlijker en we leren John wat beter kennen. 3.5
It's fine I guess. Seems like his creative juices had run dry by this point.
My fav album of Lennon
Definitely an album I expected to hate, but it wasn't actually too bad. It's not getting more than three stars, because no one song stands out as something special, but it was definitely a decent album, especially compared to what Lennon spewed out later.
Buen álbum para estar de chill, muy triste el final, me gustó.
The first solo album from John "The Beatles was nothing" Lennon. It's self-indulgent, overly experimental, and somewhat repetitive. But come on, it's John Lennon. It's clear from albums like this as well as his interviews from this time period that he underestimated the amount of gratitude he owed the group, but he still made pretty good music without them. It does not come close to rivaling what he did with them in my opinion though.
Introspective downbeat Lennon, with a couple of classic tracks to lift the album
This is Lennon at his most vulnerable, letting it all air out post-primal therapy. It's pretty bare from a production standpoint, but not lacking in raw emotion. Kind of a tough listen at times to be honest. "God" in particular sounds a little goofy/pretentious today.
I found it okay honestly but abit underwhelming at times. Mother and Love are really beautiful tracks though. This album may grow on me with a few more listens.
Да, сос мыслом Тексты трогают, но не сильно Хорошие и интересные композиции разбавлены дефолтными простыми песнями про любовь или жизнь Да мы поняли что у тебя там любовь Музыкант вовлек в свою музыку женщину, может это и здорово. Может я не знаю всей истории. Нравится звучание и инженерные подходу к композиции инструментов того времени в принципе Не очень нравятся его посылы людям выбираться и жить иначе, когда он весь такой преисполненный и принявший мир Некоторым композициям не хватает инструментала побогаче Well well well сильно вытягивает этот альбом на что-то больше 3.0 Поэтому 3.5
Im so gld Yoko wasn't singing.
Who the hell is John Lennon and what’s all this hippy dippy shit? (Didn’t love a lot of this but it grew on me as I listened, I will have to revisit)
I can see why initial reactions were so poor. I gather views of the album have improved, but not at the quality of George Harrison's solo albums
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH YEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSS ON Y EST!!! LA FIN DE LA FIN!!! FINITO, ENDET, 結束, ختم, ET AUTRES DIALECTES! Trois ans de ma vie sacrifiée pour atteindre la ligne d’arrivée. Je pense que ça en a valu la peine, j’ai au moins découvert 5-6 albums que j’aime bien (ainsi que 567 que j’aurais préféré ne pas découvrir). J’aimerais que c’est une joke, mais il y a des merdes ici qui m’ont pourri des journées. Une chose est sûre, j’ai l’impression d’en savoir plus sur la musique, mais d’une manière qui me laisse abasourdi par la QUANTITÉ GARGANTUESQUE de genres et d’artistes qui existent. Genre, je pourrais jamais en faire le tour, même en consacrant 24h/7j de ma vie pendant les 60 prochaines années à écouter de nouveaux albums sans répétition. Ça me donne le vertige. Mais sinon, ça m’a permis de tomber sur ce bon vieux Cyril, mon poto mélomane d’outremer! Il y a eu au moins ça de positif! Donc, je vous au revoir! On se rejoint dans la user list, pour un autre trois ans d’albums!
Better than imagine but mostly cause it sounds more like a Beatles album
Lot of emotions going on here
Overall Rating - 2.73/5 (5.45/10). What the fuck happened to John Lennon when he left The Beatles? Or was Paul McCartney the real songwriter in that band? This is a collection of early scream, late 60s/early 70s philosophical navel gazing, and forgettable pop. Also, it sounds like he's trying to justify leaving The Beatles and his first wife.
get's lost here and there. best tracks for me were Mother, Working Class Hero, Isolation and Love.
Mouais
du bon comme du moins bon
#c'étaitmieuxavant comment ça "I don't believe in Hitler" !? Donc c'est un complotiste bravo John... Heureusement y'a quelques sons qui sortent du lot et qui sont très sympas mais sur le global un peu déçu, même s'il a malgré tout une super voix
Meh
Ok
John Lennon is easily one of the most iconic musicians of all time. However, she was also in this one. (His vocals are still so good tho so I'll at least give it a three) Also as a side note. It's insane that he wrote a song about the dream of the Beatles dying then released it on an album named after the person known for killing the dream of the Beatles
It's amazing how much this sounds like a debut album. Like a new singer on a low budget who didn't know yet what he could with strings and horns and studio effects, giving us a stripped down set of unpolished, passionately sung songs. Of course, John Lennon was a master songwriter and absolutely knew what he was doing in a studio, so I'm sure this is what he wanted. Some tracks feel like he was the only one there. Maybe Lennon was trying to put major distance between himself and the last Beatles' records, and he came up with the epitome of a rock singer-songwriter album.
Honestly not as good as I’d want a Lennon album to be.
Highlight: Isolation In a nutshell: the therapy album. Well this was a pleasant surprise! It's kinda bluesy, Beatles-ish, with some sounds that could be proto-punk (see I Found Out). John gets vulnerable lyrically, sometimes screaming into the mic. Ringo on the drums was a great choice. The mixing is excellent- the panning on Isolation is surreal and magnificent. I think I can hear the future influence of The Black Keys on this album. Pretty good as a first solo outing. Overall: 5/10
Kinda average I think I prefer Paul’s solo stuff more A few cool songs on here
John Lennon - if you know his stuff you know
Enjoyed “Well well well”, otherwise not a great album
#297/1001. Didn't I rate this one? Or does he (and his lover and band) just recycle songs and ideas? Or perhaps most of his songbook has been playing around my life: radio, tv, home, school bus tours (although we had only one and I don't think John Lennon was played, but take it as a metaphor). I've been so grown up on the Beatles and from the solo era especially Lennon, I could put this on any time. But I've also built my own path in the interesting world of music listening that it just drops to the background as something basic, de facto which doesn't really arouse any stronger emotions, not even nostalgia. Although his and Yoko Onos experimental work are almost unlistenable, I am much more fascinated by them.
There is obviously some really good stuff here (Mother, God), but honestly I was a little bored overall. I'm surprised as I was really looking forward to it and I am now confused because Mind Games and Double Fantasy are not on the list and I consider those to be superior albums. Maybe it's because this is the 1st solo? McCartney's first solo blasts this out of the water IMO. 3.5 for me, but surprisingly dropping.
I liked the lyrics on this one, but I personally found the rest of the album quite underwhelming.
5.5/10
Glimpses of great songwriting talents on show but it seems John was very troubled during writing and making this album.
Yeahhh it was okay. ✨
Some religious critique. So I like it.
Meh. Lots of Lennon screaming. No bad songs but nothing to get excited about either.
Not my cupatea
Good but fine, prefer when he plays with the group
Some good tunes, some hard to get through.
So apparently he was doing primal therapy during this time so that explains the lyrics. I knew a few songs on this album but many were knew to me. I listened a second time and enjoyed it more. I liked "I Found Out", "Working Class Hero" and "Remember".
Hold On was my favorite. Didn’t know ringo Starr was drummer for this band that’s cool!
It's fine overall, Harissons solo record is better
A very intense album. Not as good as the subsequent "Imagine" in my opinion. For me, the best track on the album is "Working Class Hero".
I usually really enjoy listening to John Lennon songs, but this album fell quite flat and didn’t quite resonate with me. Despite the soulful touch to the lyrics, the music itself is boring and nothing too different.
Ok
Eh
Look, it's not bad. It's not the Beatles, but it takes some getting used to. Without the attrition and back and forth chipping away at the rocks of invention of the rest of the band, the outcome is different. Without the smoothing down Lennon's ideas until they're glistening and perfect like a greek marble, or a perfectly round pebble on the beach, you get the raw, unprocessed ore. It feels straight out of the ground. There are some real gems in here, a few lyrics that really hit. Unsurprisingly, some performances that really hit too. It's still John Lennon. But this record is most effecting when it deals with his relationship with his parents, and the least when he's singing "A working class hero is something to be". It just falls down in the chorus department. The lyrics are actually pretty solid, but they're hung on a clothes horse, not a model, and it doesn't land. I liked `Isolation` though, this is where the record picks up a bit. The song "God" on the other hand. My lord. That fucking hits. "The Dream is over Yesterday I was the Dreamweaver But now I'm reborn I was the walrus But now I'm John" I felt that in my soul. For John to have found such contentment with Yoko that he could write the song `Love`, and not think it was a bit much to have half the lyrics of a song be the word `love`, gives you a real sense of where he was at. It's a vulnerable record because it's casting off the play acting, the deliberate facades, masques, skits and bits. He was the walrus, now he's John. The dreamweaver coming down from the trip of a lifetime. Now he just wants to love his partner, and be a real boy. Oh and deal with his parental abandonment issues. You know what, good on him.
it was good there were a few good songs
A working class hero is something to be
Not bad .. but not great either
oh john
A cathartic album for Lennon, but proof that he and McCartney worked best off other people.
The lyrics of "Working Class Hero" still get cited today. The rest of the album is just what you expect the Beatles without most of the Beatles to sound like. Was Lennon's solo stuff really that important musically, or just historically, as an avenue of expression for his activism? I think these albums were still worth including on the list for the general cultural and social impact they had at the time, but not necessarily for the music itself.
i dont like the screaming
Entretenido Tiene letras donde no dudó en contar algo personal, como Mother Otras muy rapiditas pero con experimentación de ritmos Se disfrutó 3.5
This is admirably personal. John Lennon could do whatever he wanted, and he gets big points for wading into strange territory. The best material here is powerful as a result. That same attitude turns out to be what tethers this to the ground — some things (Well Well Well, God) don't do it for me, which makes for a labored and uneven overall experience. So it merits a higher rating when serving up the material that works because of the experimental personality of the artist, but as a whole, it doesn't quite take me higher.
Enjoyed this one. Nothing jumped out at me. I feel good about listening to some Proper Music.
I own a couple of John Lennon albums. I’ve always liked his solo work more than the other Beatles. He genuinely has some great songs post Beatles - Instant Karma, Whatever Gets You Thru the Night, Watching the Wheels, Just like Starting Over, Mind Games, Cold Turkey. I don’t own this one and wouldn’t go out and buy it, but there are some good songs on here. Nothing that pushes me to either side of a 3, so middle of the road it is.
The rock music is clean and edgy and the lyrics are thought provoking. Lennon’s tone and associated emotion is entertaining throughout the album and this was a good choice for the list.
If I wanted a rich guy screaming at me about his life, I’d watch Elon at a DOGE Press Conference. This is pompous, petulant and self-important in the least interesting ways, with minimalistic musicality that leaves a lot to be desired. Lennon can certainly write a song but seems to have lost the interest or ability to write for anyone other than himself. Time has proven that he was best served as a member of a group, where his ideas could be edited, molded and held in check. His solo material digresses far too quickly into psych-political babble.
This is a good-sounding album that just doesn't stick out to me
That's not my taste in music - But ok
Not as great as I would think. Some good songs I have heard before and decent production. Good thing there's no Yoko singing.
Didn’t like when he sang about his parents, didn’t like when he sang about himself or Yoko. But “I seen religion from Jesus to Paul” is a pretty good line. And “Working Class Hero” gets me. It’s a simple concept done well, the sort where once you hear it you wonder how it wasn’t done before. He’s probably at his weakest when he’s trying to have normal people feelings, and at his best when he’s feeling bitter about society. Which, for a poor kid with a rough childhood who suddenly became one of the most famous people in the world, makes sense. Like, he sounds whiny and juvenile in parts, but he was only 30 when he made this.
The first listen didn't do much for me, but this struck me on the second. Some songs sound like lesser Beatles tracks; I prefer the ones that feel more heavy and strange. The last few songs are my favorites. Overall this gave me a new appreciation for John Lennon, who I'm mostly neutral on. A solid 3.5, which I'll keep at a 3.
Day754 - the emo beatle sings his sad songs
i hate this stupid racist man, but i guess he had a few good songs. not a fan of yoko.
Some great songs but sweet tap dancing Jesus is he ever pretentious and smug
I found out, hold on, remember and well well well were my preferred tracks
John Lennon pulls back the curtain to show us how he really feels. He doesn't believe in Beatles, the dream is over. This is an anti-Beatles record; gone are the studio wizardry and ornate arrangements, gone are the absurdist humour, obtuse imagery and universal themes. He tears down the facades of "Beatle John" a.k.a. The Walrus to reveal "just John". This is personal, honest, and unvarnished, both lyrically and musically. Unfortunately, the way Lennon really feels is angry and hurt. We get much more a sense of who Lennon is than the dreamy abstractions of late-era Beatles, but that person is sometimes hard to like. He is often arrogant, self-centered and full of grudges and festering wounds. The softer moments (for example 'Love' or 'Look at Me') are simplistic and banal, revealing Lennon's emotional immaturity. Life really did a number on Lennon; his British working-class upbringing, the death of his mother followed by unprecedented fame as a young man meant he didn't really have the opportunities to develop much emotional accountability. Good on him for giving it a go -- that's brave -- but I'm not sure I really want to listen to it for pleasure. I still believe in Beatles, even if John doesn't.
++: Hold On, I Found Out, Isolation, Love, Well Well Well, Look at Me +: Remember +-: Working Class Hero, God, My Mummy's Dead -: Mother 7,0/10
I think this album is a perfect reflection of the artist John Lennon was at the dissolution of the Beatles, and is an accomplishment in that way. And I think a lot of it is very good, it's just not very enjoyable to listen to, relative to his work with the Beatles.
This wasn’t nearly as bad as I was expecting it to be. Doesn’t mean it was good either, but I did make it through the album without ever wanting to turn it off. So that’s at least a 2.5 / 5
I don't think it is one of his best but there were a couple of good songs.
eh, didn't do much for me. lot of famous songs.
Lennon's first solo album, a stripped back three piece band with Ringo and Klaus Voormann. In school I remember we loved Working Class Hero because of the swearing. A very good album, full of self-examination. Lennon's first solo album, a stripped back three piece band with Ringo and Klaus Voormann. In school I remember we loved Working Class Hero because of the swearing. A very good album, full of self-examination.
Not a fan. Why is he screaming.
Pretty strong, but it didn’t grab me grab me. John has typically been my least favorite solo Beatle.
I was between a 3 and a 4 on this. I think some of it is pretty good and some of it isn’t. I legit don’t think John was very good without Paul. I did listen to album a LOT back when I was taking an Elvis Presley course in college. The professor had a whole thing about the “I don’t believe in Elvis” line and how he thought Elvis responded in his next album. So, I bullshitted a 30 page paper about it and got an A.
I find John’s solo work to be very hit or miss. I love the Beatles and I have a great respect for John, but I really do feel the influence of Yoko altered his musical senses quite a bit.
I wanted to give this four stars but couldn’t quite justify it. It’s dark and introspective in places, with a tormented bookend. Still, one of the better post Beatles releases
It is fine. I liked Working Class Hero, and Mother was alright but annoying on the second listen. Fairly coherent, but no mega hits. Which is fine, if a good album. It's no Beatles, though.
I had never heard this album nor any of the songs on it. I’ve always like John’s voice and it is strong on this album. This sounds like a very personal album. It addresses relationships (mostly he and Yoko) and his outlook, it seems. It wasn’t too exciting. Not sure how anyone could consider this his best work. I also gave the companion album by Yoko a listen. WTH were the noises coming from her?? Good lord that album is horrible.
This needs a second listen. Some songs are smooth and emotional some are all over the place but you can tell he thinks a lot about his lyrics.
5/10
Was John Lennon super talented? Absolutely. Was he the musical genius the world made him out to be? Debatable. He had a point of view, for sure… but the music itself didn’t reflect that… and this album is a byproduct of that. I was (and still am) more of a Paul guy anyway.
I don't think I know enough about John to really appreciate the album to its fullest, though some of these songs manage to be absolutely poignant regardless (Mother and God come to mind). I'd say I loved about half of it; the other half either underwhelms or eludes me. Standouts: Mother • Hold On • Love • Well Well Well • God
Honestly, not great. I just don’t get John Lennon. Boring musically and whiny lyrically.
Pleasant, but not his best.
better than anticipated
This album is like the moments after a guy sent his crush a love letter. He immediately thinks of other things he should have written, he thinks of things that he regrets including in the letter, and he wonders if his last girlfriend might have been better suited to him. Doesn’t matter now though. The letter is in the postbox, and he can’t get it back.
Lennon is my least favorite Beatle, and I was expecting something way more pretentious. The album was better than I had anticipated, and i can appreciate that he was being so honest and personal with this one.
Needs another listen. 3.5/5
Really painful . Glad to have heard it but ouch.
There's a few powerful (and well known) tracks here, but it really feels like this is mostly John working out his pain over his trauma growing up and the (very) recent breakup of the Beatles and everything he was going through at that time. I've never listened to it as an album before and don't know if I will again, it's not really an enjoyable listen and a lot of it feels somewhat half-baked, parts more like a letter to his fans set to music, parts like him fucking around, exploring letting out sadness and anger. But as someone who loves that band and a lot of John's solo stuff too I'm glad I've heard it. Needs more Yoko.
He's really working through some stuff on this one. Felt quite angsty but not in a way that spoke to me. He quite often used repetition but it didn't serve to advance the song. Hold on John is captivating and I like the punch at the end of God, brought it up to low 3
Didn't listen
2.5
Not his best at all.
Not bad, but not the best John Lennon album.
Really liked the first half/two thirds. Last few songs went a bit off the rails haha
I love the drum sound.
This is John Lennon’s debut solo album after the break up of The Beatles. It’s mainly performed in a three piece band format, featuring Lennon on guitar and vocals, Ringo Starr on drums, and Klaus Voormann on bass who, also interestingly drew the cover art for Revolver. Some songs features Phil Spector on piano, who also co produced the albums alongside John and Yoko. The album is raw, stark, and brutally honest. The production perfectly captures the emotional weight of the songs. It’s unreal how much emotion Lennon conveys with just his voice and stripped back instrumentation. This might be one of the most emotionally vulnerable albums ever made by an A list artist. It didn't necessarily hit me right away, its the kind of album that I needed to sit with and revisit a few times to really understand it, at least thats what happened to me. Musically it’s simple but it makes sense. No distractions or gloss, very raw. Overall I'd say I enjoyed this album, I already knew of Working Class Hero (RIP Ozzy), however I also enjoyed Mother, Hold On, I Found Out, Isolation, Love, Well Well Well, Look At Me, God.
𝘑𝘰𝘩𝘯 𝘓𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘯/𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘖𝘯𝘰 𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘥 is often described as one of the rawest solo albums ever made by a former Beatle — but its radicalism lies more in its emotional honesty than in musical experimentation. Given Yoko Ono’s avant-garde influence, one might expect something wilder or more abstract, yet Lennon instead strips everything down to voice, piano, bass, and drums. It’s a confessional record where pain, anger, and healing replace melody and charm. Powerful in intent, but not always easy — or entirely engaging — to listen to.
Meh, not for me. Very minimalistic and not reall one of john lenons best works imo
Pas mal. Du John Lennon comme on peut l'imaginer
Chock full of emotions, this is quite the heavy listening material
Better than expected. Isolation kinda slaps
I was surprised at how many songs I knew on this. It was tending towards good for me but just very pretentious for my tastes.
A little boring at times but I still liked it. Cute album art too
will i ever go back to this album? unlikely. i dont know what draws me back to an album, but whatever it is, it is absent here. must stress, its not bad
....
There were some good songs and some boring songs.
20/1001 First listen. I guess I expect something better from a former Beatle. Most of these sound like demos. Lots of screaming and Cookie Monster?
Not my vibe, but liked the emotion and the simplicity. Well well well is the standout track I'll be keeping on the playlist
All over the place. 3.
I read a review that John Lennon albums leave an impression, but probably more on him than on us. It sounds like he’s working out a lot of family and Beatles issues (as a result of his unfinished primal scream therapy) but for me a lot of rockier songs sound like the type of classic rock that’s a bit boring to me. Some of the slower songs I like, like Working Class Hero and Love. I also like Isolation, how it mostly sounds like a Randy Newman song but the middle is filled with shouts of anger and desperation. Apparently you can tell this album cover apart from Yoko Ono’s album of the same name because he’s leaning on her in this one but she’s leaning on him on her album cover.
A few great songs on here , but the rest is pretty pretentious.
3/5
Not much of a Beatles fan and this didn't help their case. "Well Well Well" should have ended this mans career that song sucked. "My Mummy's Dead" was haunting and gives me a dread for when that song will apply to myself. Isolation was amazing, heavy and beautiful. Absolute highlight for me.
Happiest. Record. Ever. 3.35
It's patchy but 'Hold On' and a few others are good. In very different ways 'Working Class Hero' and "Love' are wonderful. At times he sounds a bit annoying on this album though, can't explain why, self indulgent maybe.
Hard to explain - maybe it’s just not been Remastered well - but the recording quality of this album pales in comparison to Band On The Run, All Things Must Pass, and even Imagine… I also wasn’t a huge fan of some of the singing. At times John is barely audible, other times he is shouting in your ears. Mother is BEAUTIFUL and tragic; I’ve always loved that song. Here, the screaming at the end is really powerful, exorcising grief of the past I feel. Hold On and Working Class Hero are also strong. However, quality is inconsistent, and I can’t get over some of the lacking recording quality and unusual vocals.
A good album and some powerful commentary on the state of the world, but ultimately not as good as some of the other post-Beatles albums like Imagine, Band On The Run, and All Things Must Pass. I love Hold On, though. Lovely song.
peychosexually fascinating
Streit
Good album! The scream is annoying Jhonny, sorry but we dont need that...
Lots of emotionally available stuff here. John's little outbursts in the middle of songs really throw me off. It's still the Beatles, though.
This was alright at best. I enjoyed a few songs (Working Class Hero, God), but most of these tracks are vanilla weirdness to me. On a couple of the songs it sounded like Dr Seuss wrote some of the rhymes. John Lennon has a lot of good stuff, but this ain’t it. A barely passable 3/5
In many ways, this is a much more interesting album than "Imagine", given all the angst and emotions Lennon poured out over the tracks (especially the near primal scream as "Mother" progresses). Much like "Imagine", this doesn't seem like a particularly noteworthy collection of songs, although I appreciated the darker tone to many of the songs (apparently thanks to his primal therapy regimen), especially "Working class hero" (probably the strongest of the lot lyrically) and "God" (a surprisingly sad disavowal of almost everything); I wanted to enjoy "Mother", especially since it starts off so strong, but then just gets weird. As I wrote with his other solo album, if I hadn't known that John Lennon was a former Beatles member, I'm not sure this album would even really register. And curious that we don't get Yoko Ono's "Plastic Ono Band" album, given that they shared the same release and album cover.
Not sure if art or a therapy session. Working Class Hero is an excellent song.
There are great songs on here and some unremarkable songs.
Good album but not his best..
He worked better in groups
After the break-up of The Beatles, John clearly had a bunch of things he needed to say, but without bandmates to sift out the weaker ideas, the result was an unfocussed set of rough draft songs. He'd go on to better things, but this... not great.
I loved these songs as a teenager and still it’s John Lennon and everything but as an adult I had surprisingly little sympathy for his relentless self pity and the navel gazing at his trauma. I know he was damaged goods and his childhood was fucked up, but Christ you were a beatle for ten years John, how bad can it fucking BE?
Mid
It was ok
Would not buy.
I think during his time in the Beatles, John wrote some of the most experimental and boundary pushing songs. However, once he left and start releasing solo albums, he just wrote generic blues rock, and I lose all interest in anything he does. This isn't a bad album, just a very predictable and boring one. I wonder what he thinks women's place in the world is? Mid 3.
I was bracing myself for Yoko Ono, but fortunately she was only mentioned by name. I thought this album was pretty good overall, but I didn't love it. I can see how influential it was, and the primal screaming is a wild direction for an artist as popular as Lennon to go in. But there is something that rubs me the wrong way about this album, I suspect it is the lyrics of John Lenon unrestrained by the other Beatles. I feel that "Mother" really encapsulates the best parts of this album. Overall, it's an interesting listen and certainly belongs on this list.
Very stripped back sort of tracks for the most part. I found the majority to be mediocre aside from working class hero, which honestly stands head and shoulders above the rest of the tracks on the album. Might be that I find that song easiest to relate to as its focus is being angry about your class and not any other emotions. The previous sentence is not a reflection on my ability or lack thereof to regulate my emotions and will be disavowed as a bit if mentioned by any other members of this review group.
Was fine
Surprisingly incredibly pleasant, likely due to the lack of Ono screeching. I guess being in The Beatles makes you a good lyricist and musician, who knew?
This is apparently very honest and is a great achievement in songwriting. Pffffffffff. At least it’s not Imagine, though I imagine (haha) that it’s also included in the list, so I’ve got that to look forward to. I actually own an Imagine 7” single, and the B-side is Working Class Hero, featured here. And it’s fucking brilliant. In contrast to Lennon’s largest post-Beatles song being a compendium of ‘what if?’s and being forever tainted by the infamous Covid-era video of spliced-together celebrities preaching togetherness whilst huddled in their oh-so-oppressive Beverly Hills mansions... Working Class Hero feels (almost) genuine, and if anything else it’s a great piece of songwriting. As for most everything else here, Mother is supposedly one of Lennon’s best ever songs, but despite the subject matter it seems overly eccentric and hardly thought out. Some songs are dirtily rocking - see I Found Out and Well Well Well; some songs are little ditsy numbers - aww, isn’t that nice - see Hold On and My Mummy’s Dead (just in case you didn’t get it from the first track) and some songs are a serious product of their time - see Look at Me and Phil Spector on piano in Love. In all, I knew I wouldn’t really like this, and it turns out I don’t. Apart from Working Class Hero and I suppose some of the more intense sections, this just seems like an album that hardcore Beatles fans forced themselves to like, despite the overall ‘The Beatles aren’t coming back’ message. I’m aware I’m completely wrong on that last point, that’s just what it feels like to me. I guess I’m glad I listened to this, because now I know what it’s truly like. Perks of the list.
If this exact album were played and sung exactly the same by anyone else with a different name, it wouldn’t be on this list or any of these other top lists. It’s not bad. But the only thing important about it is that it’s John Lennon.
A few good tracks. Some serious snoozers too though. Maybe the best of Lennon's solo work, which really isn't saying much. It's a lot of middle of the road.
Beautiful
Ringo's drums sound great on I Found Out.
some good tracks but i guess i'll never listen to that album again
The best part of the album was getting to hear John Lennon aggressively growl "COOKIE" in the middle of one of the songs. Anyways, it's pretty good. There are a handful of songs that make me think that I was doing more thinking than Lennon was when he wrote this album by thinking about that, but there were some great songs in there, too. I actually did enjoy the album. It feels a lot more personal than anything the Beatles could've made and it's pretty nice listen, albeit a pretty nice listen that's occasionally un-niced by John Lennon listing off things he doesn't believe in or out-of-place screaming, but mostly nice nonetheless. I don't have much nice to say about it that I can actually put into words, mostly because the bad of this album is pretty funny, but I swear it's good.
Mother - 3/5 Hold On - 5/5 I Found Out - 3/5 Working Class Hero - 3/5 Isolation - 4/5 Remember - 3/5 Love - 4/5 Well Well Well - 3/5 Look at Me - 3/5 God - 5/5 My Mummy's Dead - 2/5 Average score: 3.5/5 (rounding down) he really took some wailing/screaming inspo from Yoko i see
Working class hero was a great song. The rest sounds like a collection of the least memorable Beatles songs. 3 stars, but only just.
Honestly it’s ok, a couple songs I really like such as hold on but overall not as good as imagine in my opinion and a step down in the songwriting shown in the Beatles, unfortunately I think this was the case of get all the material out that I couldn’t use for the Beatles. It’s not a bad album just underwhelming
While there are certainly a couple of hits on this album, the rest was surprisingly tepid for me. I like alot of Lennon's solo stuff, so this was kind of a surprise, though I think Harrison and McCartney had better solo careers.
Since the Beatles went from teeny bopper love songs to hokey novelty songs about Polythene Pam and Mean Mr Mustard they never had much scope to explore more mature themes, so their first wave of solo albums saw an explosion of more personal reflexive confessional material. It's a great album about a guy looking to find his peace and realizing he can't because of his mum, religion, childhood, class and career and that he has a lot of shit to work out. The best part is his voice: raw, broken up, hoarse screams that really push the raw, broken, emotive content of the songs to a higher level. I loved this album as an annoying teenage atheist but am less into it as a slightly less annoying adult atheist.
Previously rated: Imagine (3/5) ******************** Some deeply personal stuff here from Lennon. I didn't really connect with it that much. His vocals here really lack something without Paul and George's harmony, and I didn't care for his phlegmy screaming. I thought he said "I don't believe in cinnamon" on the song God, but he actually said Zimmerman, which probably made sense at the time, but 55 years later, I have no idea who he's talking about. Did someone say "cookie" during Hold On?
i liked some of the songs on it a lot, but it felt jarring in a boring way at points
John Lennon is a fantastic song writer. His solo work is a mized bag for me.
His music is cool, but that screaming gets to a point where it sounds like he's forcing himself to do it and it's just cringing me out, chill out, a normal coherent scream will get the job done
Not his best album. A few good songs that are famous but bland album overall.
I hadn't bothered to listen to this, not being such a fan of John Lennon's solo work. It was okay, but didn't really convert me. Favourite thing about it was probably Ringo's drumming
Listening at 10pm on a Thursday night, the last Night of June. Going for my nightly walk with music. Unfortunately the album wasn't as good as I hoped, the overall sound is tho.
So, I'm really not a fan of John Lennon. At all. But this was somehow almost decent? Pretentious, yes. But a lot of things I like are. (Let's not question too much what that says about me...)
Mother, Hold On, Worning Class Hero, Isolation and Love are good songs on an album that perhaps could have been a little shorter - there are too many sub-par songs on here
Will listen again
“God” probably rocked people’s worlds in 1970 but today it just sounds like an annoying social media post. Second Lennon solo album I’ve gotten and again it doesn’t hit the way Beatles albums do.
not bad
This is #day343 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… how about a post-primal therapy album from John Lennon (though he still screams on a couple of tracks, and I swear I'm hearing Cobain in those screams, particularly In Utero era) that also happens to be his solo debut? I wasn't familiar with this one. The only Lennon solo record I know through and through is Imagine, and I'm looking forward to revisiting when its turn comes on the list. At first, I expected some weird psychedelic noise, but as soon as "Mother" kicked in, I knew this was something different. It's a fine rock/avant-pop album: very introspective... fine, but not great. The highlights are "Mother" and "God." This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day344.
didn't mind it, preferred imagine but i liked the song hold on
The album felt kind of chaotic and I just feel like I am not a huge John Lennon fan...
Good stuff
Didn't dislike it as much as I thought I would.
3-bordering-4-stars. Big fan of the visceral, primal bits.
Alright
I appreciated the rawness of this album, like how the first track unravels into something primal and guttural. I’d even go as far as to say I found it more interesting than many Beatles albums, if only by nature of it sounding less polished and being fresh to my ears. Still, “interesting” doesn’t mean “enjoyment,” and I didn’t find myself particularly moved by this album. I’m back in a 3-stars rut, it seems. I think the blame lies more with me than the music. Favorite: Working Class Hero Worst: Well Well Well
Some great tracks, I didn't need Mother today though, thanks John. No Ono screams helps too.
Alleinstehend für sich ein gutes album. Hat durchaus seine Höhepunkte wie workingclass hero und ander langsamere Lieder, die schnelleren fallen für mich meistens flach. Man merkt wer bei den Beatles die Texte geschrieben hat und wer sich um die musik gekümmert hat. Texte sind meistens sehr gut aber musik doch eher durchschnittlich. Fällt am ende leider etwas ab. Gute 3/5 mit Tendenz zu 4
I like John Lennon and much of his solo work so I figured this would be a good listen though I was hesitant because it has Yoko’s name on it. An overall pleasant album but a little too soft for my taste. Hold On, Working Class Hero, and Well Well Well are the standouts for me.
Like a Beatles album in all but name. Unsurprisingly it feels like a Beatles record at its core - certainly in the melodic sense - but it’s more like the skeleton of one, exposed and stripped of harmony and polish. If the Beatles had continued and allowed Lennon to fully explore this side of himself within the band, this might've been a Beatles album in spirit. But it's more introspective, more personal, more radical than the Beatles would ever have been. It has a raw directness. It's hard to believe that Lennon was only 30 when he recorded this and had the Beatles' career behind him. It probably contributes to the sense of world-weariness here. It's almost like he’s a man decades older. Extraordinary really.
very raw
The screaming was screamy. He got primal on it. He was working through some stuff. So it's intriguing to consider that he was one of the first artists publicly "working through stuff." I enjoyed but--per usual--not blown away.
perus john lennon
Lyrics are deep and make it a memorable album, which is very well produced and mixed. However it is not for everybody, with a cacophony and mix of soft and calm songs to the screams and agony of a few others.
Working Class Hero is a standout, not a bad album.
Fine, but does it do anything different to any other music from this time period?
Some amazing songs on here and some self-indulgent stuff as well. Overall a good album once you know your place as a listener.
Working Class Hero gets a 5, rest is just okay.
I don't care for John Lennon much at all outside his work with the Beatles so I'm incredibly biased. But I will admit there is an artistry to this album. I don't plan on returning to it frequently but it's decent. He obviously was in his artsy period of working things out so I definitely think he did so in a good way. He also pays alot of homage to rock n' roll which is pretty sick. But overall not really for me tbh. Not bad but not a favorite either.
I do want to hear John's therapy sessions, even though it's unfortunate he plagued his album title and songs with Ono's mention. *vomiting emoji* John is making a case here for what I believe is the entirety of the issues of mankind: mommy or daddy issues or some kind of childhood trauma. It all comes down to childhood and your parents. Everything. Functioning adults and relatively normal are the ones who do not carry childhood scars open and unhealed. Isn't it funny how John cries out "mama don't go, daddy come home" and he did the exact same with his son Julian- he repeated his father's pattern. In today's broken society the wound is worn like a prize, the consequences of the wound are being not only accepted, but also applauded and cheered. People are not trying to be better and heal. We need to heal. Favorite tracks: Mother Hold On 3/5
I actually like his wail-y parts the best. This entire album would have been incredible as a punk album, all with the Well Well Well sound. Honestly I found the album overall to be moderately enjoyable, a lot of it smacked so heavily of Beatles sounds that I'm not going to judge Lennon on it. Ringo's drumming style just didn't really change much between Beatles and Lennon stuff. Sure, people call it "minimalist", "pared-down". Just another way of saying indistinguishable from Beatles music outside of Lennon's screaming. My Mummy's Dead would make a sick intro to a hardcore song. Just saying. Faves: I Found Out, Well Well Well
its fine. nothing special. funny enough, well well well, almost sounds like it could be the black keys for some reason. thats fun
Well well well was exactly track I needed. Its not my favourite Lennon album and it's not a patch on the best Beatles, but it's still got a lot of value.
One of the better John Lennon solo albums
'Working Class Hero' deserves all the praise it gets but aside from I'm afraid I detect a strong aroma self-indulgence
Can't say it was the Ono Band's fault but I thought this album was a bit flat and uninspired.
Okay, so this is where we are at. John Lennon, angry man, is recording his primal scream therapy sessions, and allowing the listener to hear them as a nice treat. Pfft! Mother starts off reasonably well, then descends into a howling tantrum that would get a toddler banished to the naughty step. And this appears to be the general theme of the album. A track starts off vaguely, gets a bit good, then ends in a howling tantrum. Good one, John. Glad you feel a bit better. However, I don’t need your trauma. It wasn’t the worst thing I’ve listened to. It’s pretentious and self-indulgent and I will never deliberately listen to this again.
Lighten up, John.
Not a classic for me.
Good but didn't love. Sometimes think John tries to be too deep.
Honestly not a bad album. Has some really strong songs, but also some really meh ones. Also yoko ono is an untalented idiot and I know she's not even on the album, but I just really dont like her. But really good.
Strangely enough, this one was already on my list. Pretty good listen
2.5ish?
3.5 I think, being honest, this project has made me enjoy John Lennon’s solo (duo with Yoko) work more than I have before. It still doesn’t hit with me the way Paul’s solo stuff does, but ultimately, he’s still a Beatle, still part of Lennon/McCartney, one of the greatest song writing duos of all time. What’s missing for me in Lennon’s solo discography, that’s still abundant in Paul’s, is the fun. Beatles songs are fun. Paul’s music is fun. John’s is not. It’s deadly serious. You can feel how serious he’s taking it all. Even when he does what should be a fun blues-y song, it’s super intense. Paul does that kinda pastiche too but he’s aware it’s kinda silly for a white British guy to be doing that so he also goes a goofy little voice. John’s music is great, I guess I’m just begging him to do a silly one every once in a while
I didn't expect to like this but it was pretty good.
Not the Beatles… but less is still good when it comes from John Lennon.
Mother - no. I see what they were going for. but no. Working Class Hero - i like the song, but i can't take it seriously coming from john lennon.
don’t believe the hype
Nice collection of songs. Doesn't capture me like a Beatles album would but interesting to get some unfiltered Lennon.
My first listen was a bit meh, but i decided to give this a second listen before reviewing and it grew on me the second listen. The songs are very raw as without Paul there to smooth some of Lennons edges, his music was always more direct and hard sounding. Still don't like Well Well Well.
I gotta say, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band was a shockingly pretty good album. I always do find the sounds of the solo albums from the members of The Beatles to be pretty interesting in terms of how much they differ from their albums together as The Beatles. In this case, this album definitely feels way more relaxing than most of The Beatles albums did but this album still did have its much harder tracks. I still am surprised at how good this album is as a lot of these songs are handled rather well and had fun melodies to boot like Remember which i think may have inspired ELO's Mr. Blue Sky. I still liked this album quite a bit and i do prefer it over most Beatles albums. Best Song: Mother Worst Song: Isolation
Never record your therapy sessions.
o no! o yes?
3,5
This was ok. Nothing much to say about this. 3/5
3.5
Working Class Hero is great (though I prefer covers to the original), the rest is mid
Earthy and rebellious.
3.5
Not great. John Lennon sure was angry in 1970.
Album started off okay, until the last few tracks which made me not “believe in” Lennon.
some good songs
Look, I know the Beatles are like your special little guys or whatever but this is just fine.
Tiene un par muy buenas pero en general me dio algo de flojera. Amo a Lennon, pero este disco se me hace de los menos afortunados de la era post Beatles.
El primer álbum en solitario de Lennon, en el que vuelca todas sus preocupaciones más íntimas como si de una sesión de terapia se tratara. La música es sencilla, con los tres instrumentos básicos del rock (guitarra, bajo y batería), algún piano esporádico y una producción mínima: una especie de mezcla entre el wall of sound de Phil Spector y una grabación indie de dormitorio. Por su parte, las letras, aunque también simples, son lo más interesante del álbum. De carácter confesional, Lennon habla abiertamente de sus traumas, sin filtros. Hay canciones sobre su infancia, sus padres, el amor, pero también otras de corte revolucionario o existencial. Es también el disco en el que Lennon rompe definitivamente con su pasado. Un álbum que, aunque musicalmente se me haya hecho un poco aburrido, merece mucho la pena por sus letras y por el contexto histórico que representa.
not too bad, some good actual songs
Whoa, intense. Working Class Hero is perfect.
I think John just wanted to get away from the 'pop' of the Beatles and kind of free flowed his muse....
Love the Beatles - respect them all. For John's first lie Paul's, there is a lot of 'new" ideas that could have also been Beatles songs.
John Lennon soolotuotanto on aina ollu musta vähän tylsää Beatlesiin verrattuna. Ehkä vanhempana ymmärrän paremmin. 3/5
A lot more raw and real then what I remember, probably the most "punk" you are going to get from a Beatle. 7/10
09/04/2025 I have no thoughts or feelings towards this.
Good album. The emotion is obviously the focal point. Songs are ok but nowhere near Beatles calibre or Paul or George’s solo stuff from that era.
Some really good songs mixed with some really meh tracks
enjoyable but no great highlights. Context of the album helps to appreciate.
The Beatles are dead, long live John Lennon - this album opens with a death knell for what was, before setting out his vision of what should be. It's not a happy album, the thick/dark production (piano, scratchy guitars and rasping drums dominate to great effect) matching the morose lyrics. Favourite tracks: I Found Out, Working Class Hero, Isolation, Love, Well Well Well, God
Working Class Hero is a classic and Lennon’s best song. The rest I could live without even though God is interesting.
Solid album that I think I'll have to listen through again to gain a full appreciation. 3.5 stars for now
John’s working some stuff out on this one, broh. Not bad for an album that is basically a recorded therapy session. Extra half-star for the “cookie” non-sequitur in the middle of “Hold On”. A cameo from a then-unknown Cookie Monster from Sesame Street?
Nothing special but a decent listen.
Based on the limited exposure I've had to John Lennon's solo career (yuck) and Yoko Ono's music (huge barf), I thought I would hate this album. Turns out, Yoko doesn't show up on this (to the best of my knowledge) and the name is just something weird they did where they both released an album with the same name. In any case, it's all for the best that this is solely a Lennon album. After listening, I can say I quite enjoyed about half of it, and the other half wasn't bad, it just wasn't anything special. I'm not sure how this album was so critically acclaimed. It seems that people highly rated it more based on the artist than on the music itself. Or, it could just be that the album didn't age super well. All in all, it's a fine listen and I totally get why it's on this list. I might re-listen to it, and I'll definitely revisit a couple of my favorites from it, but that's about it.
1. Isolation 2. Mother 3. Remember 4. Well Well Well 5. Hold On 6. I Found Out 7. Look At Me 8. Working Class Hero 9. God 10. Love 11. My Mummy's Dead
-this was cool, much more interesting than Imagine I feel… imagine being a Beatlemaniac in 1970 hearing John Lennon writing diss tracks and saying fuck and cock in his songs -I liked the variety. and the screaming. distinct from the Beatles but still has the familiar sound. rip John Lennon -Favorites are Hold On, I Found Out, and God
Felt like a lot to unpack with this one. I think it got better as it went on but also felt like I was fully appreciating what he was saying, or the context of it being his first solo album
Fine.