lördag 22 september 2012

John Lennon - Walls and Bridges (UK 1974)


230:- (24-Bit Limited Remaster Edition. Original gimmick konvolut. Utgången utgåva sedan 2007.)

Walls and Bridges was recorded during John Lennon's infamous "lost weekend," as he exiled himself in California during a separation from Yoko Ono. Lennon's personal life was scattered, so it isn't surprising that Walls and Bridges is a mess itself, containing equal amounts of brilliance and nonsense. 

Falling between the two extremes was the bouncy Elton John duet "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night," which was Lennon's first solo number one hit. Its bright, sunny surface was replicated throughout the record, particularly on middling rockers like "What You Got" but also on enjoyable pop songs like "Old Dirt Road." 

However, the best moments on Walls and Bridges come when Lennon is more open with his emotions, like on "Going Down on Love," "Steel and Glass," and the beautiful, soaring "No. 9 Dream." Even with such fine moments, the album is decidedly uneven, containing too much mediocre material like "Beef Jerky" and "Ya Ya," which are weighed down by weak melodies and heavy over-production. It wasn't a particularly graceful way to enter retirement. 

01. Going Down On Love  
02. Whatever Gets You Through The Night  
03. Old Dirt Road  
04. What You Got  
05. Bless You  
06. Scared  
07. #9 Dream  
08. Surprise Surprise (Sweet Bird Of Paradox)  
09. Steele And Glass  
10. Beef Jerky  
11. Nobody Loves You (When You're Down And Out)  
12. Ya Ya