Plastic Ono Band Redux

Our dear John has lost something and needs to spend an album screaming in order to find out - the premise of his first post-Beatles album. What's he lost? Paul McCartney (and his insipid talent for cuteness). George Harrison (and his parse-able guitar parts). Cynthia Lennon (and any remaining semblance of normalcy). What's he found? Yoko Ono. Rage.

The rage is important. This is an album in which John gets naked, gets rid of the multi part harmonies, the multi-part songs and the intricate arrangements of the late Beatles albums. Track one is telling - There are three instruments on it (four if you count the gong at the start). But where the tunes are stripped of filigree they are still tuneful, still solid where Paul was fluffy, serious where Ringo was playful, real where George was trippy.

Plastic Ono band is an album in which John stops hiding behind his wit (and McCartney's wit) and his irrepressible talent and writes an album with Songs about Things. The result? We like John less now that we know him. But we love him more because he bothered.

Also of merit : the two bonus tracks in the remastered edition. 'Power to the People' - meh, socialist claptrap by a well meaning talent. 'Do the Oz' - the creepiest invitation to dance I've ever heard. And is that Yoko howling in the background?

adam