A highly underrated album

Most critics seem to agree that "Walls and Bridges" is Lennon's second weakest album, right after "Sometime In New York City." It's been criticized as being unfocused and having filler. Although most critics will grant that the album does have some redeeming qualities and a few good songs. I strongly disagree with what most critics say about this album. In my opinion, "Wall and Bridges" stands alongside "Plastic Ono Band," and "Imagine" as being some of the best music Lennon ever recorded. I would even put "Walls and Bridges" right alongside Led Zeppelin's "Zoso" and Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" as one of the best albums of the 1970s. This album does have its flaws. There is some filler, the production is a bit stuffy and it sounds a bit dated. However, I find that these flaws enhance its overall charm.



John Lennon's music has often been autobiographical. This album shows that as much as any other album he recorded. At the time, Lennon was a man in pain. He was separated from Yoko and unsure of what to do or where he wanted to go. He indulged in drinking and heavy partying in the infamous "Lost Weekend." This album is not a catharsis of raw emotion like "The Plastic Ono Band." This album is more like a diary from a dark period in a mans life. It's not so much a cry for help, but more of an album of resignation and defeat.



The album opens with "Down On Love" a mid-tempo song about falling to pieces. In his delivery, Lennon sounds as though he is pleading for help, but he also sounds dejected. "Whatever Get You Through the Night" is one of Lennon's biggest solo hits. A great catchy duet with Elton John. "Old Dirt Road" is a beautiful balled about being lost. "What you Got" is not one of the album's strongest tracks. It's just a sort of sloppy rocker, but it adds to the album's overall charm. "Bless You" another beautiful balled in the vein of "Imagine." "Scared" is a cool mid-tempo song whose meaning is self-explanatory. But in his singing, the song sounds as though Lennon really is scared--it sounds lived in. When he's yelling that he's scared, you can feel the mans torment. "Scared" runs perfectly into "#-9 Dream" a lush, pop-savvy mid-tempo rocker with cool cellos. "Surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradise)" is another filler song--not great, not bad--just filler. The album would have been slightly better without its inclusion. "Steel and Glass" is the follow-up to "How Do You Sleep at Night." The contrast of it's raw, angry delivery with the lush music sounds great and enhances the song. "Beef Jerky" is a cool jam instrumental. "Nobody Loves You (When Your Down and Out)" is a depressing song about looking at life straight in the eye when you are lonely and dejected. "Ya Ya" is a filler sound byte, with Lennon's son, Julian on drums. It's a cool way to end the album.

Fair Lennon album!

John Lennon was capable of creating outstanding material even after the split from the Beatles. His first two albums, "Plastic Ono Band" and "Imagine" were brilliant pieces of work...although "Imagine" suffered greatly from misplaced production. Here the fault isn't so much placed with bad production as it is from not-so-good material. The album has too many songs that are album fillers. Another problem is Lennon's fascination with his buddy Harry Nilsson's vocal approach. Lennon succeeds in imitating Nilsson, but most would agree Lennon's range like McCartney's could simply handle all sorts of musical tastes without resorting to imitating someone else.



"Going Down On Love" is downright abysmal. "Whatever Gets You Through The Night", although a number one, isn't that great a song. This song even sounds more like it was authored by Elton John than Lennon even though it was in fact Lennon's composition. But Lennon admitted himself it wasn't a great tune. "Old Dirt Road" is another throwaway that sounds so uninspired. "What You Got" sees Lennon ripping up the vocals again, however, the song is lyrically pretty poor which is unlike Lennon. "Bless You" is Lennon imitating his friend Harry Nilsson -- the guy that sounded like a sheep that sang the Badfinger hit "Without You." The song isn't that great. The follow-up song, "Scared" is better but is again Lennon doing Nilsson. Not a great side one, that's for sure.



The best song..."#9 Dream" Lennon sounds like a cross between Al Stewart/Harry Nilsson, but the song is much stronger here. Lennon liked to experiment with his voice so much during his career using all sorts of tricks. The difference between all the songs that preceded this track is the song was simply more like the classics we're used to hearing from Lennon. "Surprise Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradox)" is a fair song. "Steel and Glass" is Lennon fusing his nastiness with Harry Nilsson-like vocals. It doesn't work. "Beef Jerky" is an okay instrumental. "Nobody Loves You When You're Down and Out" is a song that could have been a fine Lennon tune. The problem is the lame middle-eight and it is simply too long for its own good. "Ya Ya" isn't really a song with Julian banging on the drums. This was more entertainment than most of the album. The only reason I give it three stars is I'm a huge Lennon fan and I really like #9 Dream." Without this song the album would barely get more than a star.



Do not buy this album!!!! Buy Lennon's greatest hits that have "9 Dream."

Great album!

WALLS AND BRIDGES is the second album that John Lennon recorded during his separation from his second wife Yoko Ono. Hits that appeared on the posthumously released THE JOHN LENNON COLLECTION are WHATEVER GETS YOU THRU THE NIGHT with moral support from Elton John and #9 DREAM. The cover photo features a drawing by Lennon composed in June 1952. Lennon was eleven years old,nearly twelve at the time. The other songs are good.