 "it's great, but not as good as I was hoping it'd be" | 2008-07-30 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2582KMXLK2P06 |
| I don't know about this album. Many of the songs just don't connect with me in the same way the ones from Imagine and Mind Games do. Many of the songs feel like they were just slapped on here to give the public more of John Lennon's excellent music, which makes sense because he IS one of the best singer/songwriters of all-time, but it's disappointing the quality of the music isn't a bit higher. I'd say the highlights would be the mysteriously beautiful "Bless You", the funky "What You Got", the jazzy "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night", the highly unusual and dreamy "#9 Dream", and the instrumentally pleasing "Beef Jerky". So yeah, I still like the album a lot, but it could have been the best thing ever. |
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| "The SOUL of John Lennon" | 2007-06-20 |
| - Reviewed By User: ADT4UVN616X6Z |
How one approaches this disc depends on what you think of when you hear the name "John Lennon". If your idea of Lennon is the politically naive, misinformed "pseudo-Messiah" some people try to make him out to be, then listen to MIND GAMES. If your idea of him is the "kitty"-whipped, emaciated shadow who groaned out vapid tunes like "Nobody Told Me" and "Wheels", then you would be happier listening to DOUBLE FANTASY on continuous loop. However, if your idea of John Lennon is that of the former Beatle who got into the music business because he liked the work of Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly and Little Richard, then take a listen: THIS ALBUM KICKS SOME MAJOR BOOTY!
In 1973, Lennon was separated from Yoko Ono and found himself collaborating with music producer, Phil Spector. Spector was famous for his "wall of sound" and he brought to this disc, his trademark brass horns and strings; leaving solidly placed at the foundation,drums that repeatedly asserted themselves to skew the album toward the R+B side of the musical spectrum.Lest you think Spector's wall eclipsed Lennon, it was John's power as a songwriter, and on this occasion, as a VOCALIST that made this album a triumph! On this "rekkid", John Lennon did some of the best singing of his entire career!
Tortured lyrics dominate this album, but instead of lame-o impressions of Bob Dylan, John sang in his own style, the kind to which we have grown accostumed to hearing in some of the best Beatle tunes. John was alienated from his wife, uncomfortable with his celebrity and just plain mad at the world! Still, he never lost his sense of humor and so, grim songs like "Goin' Down on Love" and "Nobody Loves You" are balanced by little ditties such as "Old Dirt Road" and "Whatever Gets You Through the Night", the latter tune was a duet with Elton John that became a #1 hit! The hypnotic "#9 Dream" is here, featuring a cameo by Lennon's girlfriend of the time, May Pang, as well as one of the most beautiful love songs ever written, "Bless You".Listen for 10-year old Julian Lennon on "Ya,Ya" and shudder as John seems to predict his own death in the nightmarish, "Scared".
Where does this album stand in the Solo-Lennon canon? As an oddity but a delightful one that anticipates the Punk-Soul sound of groups like Brand Nubian or Girls Versus Boys. Finally, no matter what else one may think about this disc one thing cannot be denied: YOU CAN DANCE TO IT, GOL' DANG, IT! How many other "post-Beatles" Lennon albums can you say that about? Not many.
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 "One of Lennon's best..." | 2007-05-10 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2P4X546EIDLPB |
| I absolutely love this CD. Not for the sole fact that it is John Lennon's, but for the music itself. This has to be one of my favorite CD's by him. The Song "surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradox)" is one of the greatest songs on the album. I highly recommend this CD. |
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| "This album is John Lennon's Best!" | 2006-12-24 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1FS60LH6EQFZN |
| I believe Walls and Bridges to be John Lennon's best solo album. With Phil Specter's production help, Lennon's songs come across vibrant and strong. There is not one weak composition on this album. Number 9 Dream, Steal and Glass and Nobody Loves You (When You're Down and Out)are magnificent performances by Lennon and his band. And the orchestral background really adds dynamism to the experience of listening to this masterpiece. Get t his album! You won't regret it. |
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| "Lennon's Lost Weekend" | 2006-04-14 |
| - Reviewed By josephll |
Walls and Bridges was recorded doing the lost weekend when John exiled himself to California without Yoko Ono in order to see if their love was strong enough. He lived with his assistant turned lover May Pang. Her vocals is also feautured on "#9 Dream". Walls and Bridges is a happy uptempo album for the major part and friends like Elton John, Harry Nilsson, Keith Moon and Ringo Starr had all been around him, but was was beneath the surface that you also can hear on the lyrics on some songs is that John is mising Yoko. Althougn the plan after this was retirement, It would be his last album with new material atleast for a while, Rock N Roll that was released 1 years afterwards was a album with only old rock standards and his last ever studio album recorded whila live "Double Fantasy" was recorded with Yoko, but it came as late as in 1980.
"Going Down on Love" is a rocky beatlesque song with nice riffs and chorus, the lyrics are about missing Yoko. "Whatever Get's You Through the Night" was his first and only number #1 hit. This one feautures a young Elton John. Lennon had met him shortly after the Beatles broke up and he called Elton "The First New Thing He Heard since the Beatles". This catchy uptempo feautures horns and it's no wonder it became a massive hit. "Old Dirt Road" was co-written by Harry Nilsson. It's one of the slower songs here. "What You Got" is another catchy Stevie Wonder sounding song, John is almost screaming the lyrics here, the song itself is really soulish. The ballas "Bless You" another song about Yoko. That also was dating someone else during the hiatus. "Scared" also feauture horns but is more blues sounding, a slow moody song with a nice guitar solo.
"#9 Dream" is one of the best songs of thsi album. It's about a dream where John sees 2 diffrent women. May Pang's vocals feautures on this one and the song itself is a hypnotic dreamy passionate love song. ""Surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradox)" is a uptempo with horns that feauture Elton on Piano and Backround vocals, but this one is weaker then their hit. "Steel and Glass" is a slow paced song that also is dreamy. "Beef Jerky" is a instrumental and I could live without it. Self-Pittying "Nobody Loves You (When You're Down and Out)" is another ballad and surprisingly good. Closer "Ya-Ya" is to forget, it's barely 1 minute and his son Julian plays the drums but it's not a good song.
Overall, For the major part a good album that once again shows Lennons most intimate feelings, it feauture some of his best songs such as the Elton John duet "Whatever Get's You Through the Night" and "#9 Dream". It's a little uneven at times and there are songs that are overproduced but in the end it's a plesant album with some high standards songs that defenitely should be purchased if you like John. |
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| "...one of [Lennon's] standout contributions to rock history" | 2006-03-30 |
| - Reviewed By donothav1 |
John Lennon topped the US Singles chart for the first time in 1974 with the hit Whatever Gets You Thru The Night, a radio-friendly duet with Elton John.
Following the success of the single came the album Walls And Bridges. Despite mixed reviews, the album contained some of the best songs and music Lennon had written throughout his entire career: the soulful Going Down On Love; the rhythmic What You Got (that sounds a lot like Stevie Wonder's Superstition); the slow and beautiful Old Dirt Road (co-written by Harry Nilsson); the dark rock tune Scared, which follows past songs like Isolation; a subliminal angry message to former agent Allen Klein in Steel In Glass (that uses the same musical pattern of How Do You Sleep); the affectionate ballad #9 Dream, also a song for Yoko; and what could possibly be the highlight on Walls And Bridges, the Dylanesque Nobody Loves You (When You're Down And Out), where Lennon expresses his feelings of depression and loneliness in such an honest way.
Walls And Bridges may not be the best Lennon album, but it is definitely one of his standout contributions to rock history.
Recommended
B+ |
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| "Lennon crafts a thoroughly enjoyable Beatle's sounding record" | 2006-01-19 |
| - Reviewed By User: A59H9BL8L9Y4Z |
This has always been my favorite John Lennon album because the production is fantastic and the songwriting is ecclectic and creative...
I also believe that this is probably the most consistent post solo-Beatle release because of all fab four post solo recordings, the album's production is flawless...
In 1973, Lennon told Rolling Stone that he had really enjoyed Paul's Band on the Run because he felt it was conceptual... thus, I've entertained the possibility that this album is in part, a response to Band on the Run because it displays conceptualism and ecclectisism.
Like Band on the Run, Walls and Bridges displays The Beatles' unique ability to go from beautiful lush ballads to rocking rockers... at times, I feel like I'm listening to the White Album....the pentatonic 'Going Down on Love' tracks to the up-tempo, brisk, jazzy 'Whatever Gets You Thru The Night'... then, there's the soft Harry Nilson assisted number 'Old Dirt Road'... then John immidiately answers this mellow country song with 'What You Got' (which feels kind of like 'Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except For Me and My Monkey') and so on ... it has been suggested that John's '#9 Dream' was a subconscious tribute to George... I love this album because I feel that John is in harmony with his other Beatle compatriots and that he's no longer bitter with his past like he was on Plastic Ono Band.. 'Surprise Surprise' with Elton John even has a quotation from a Beatle's song... see if you can guess what it is...!!!
This is the first post Beatles album that really really sounds like something the Beatles would have been truly worthy of producing (unlike Band on the Run that although was a milestone for Paul only sustained mediocre production!!!)
This is also a fun album and along with All Things Must Pass and Tug of War, it stands as the best produced post Beatles recording.. If you're a Beatle's fan but think that there wasn't any good solo Beatle's album.... sit down on a quiet Sunday evening with a friend or two in front of a fire with some hot cocoa, sit back, and enjoy a great album!!! |
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| "John Lennon" | 2005-08-20 |
| - Reviewed By nicolette_clinton |
| I haven't really been a real fan of John Lennon's work. To tell you the truth I enjoy George Harrison's solo work a little bit more because it's a little different. My sister was the one who told me to listen to some of Lennon's solo work. Now I have always loved his work with the Beatles. I have listened to the album "Imagine" and thought it was alright, it was an over-rated album in my opinion. I have listened to every Lennon album out there and this is by far my favorite and his best work. I think the song "Steel Glass" sounds a little to much like "How do you sleep". Overall, it's an awesome album I don't think there's a song on here I don't like. Another good album is "Mind Games" I enjoyed that as well. Yay for John! |
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| "lennons best" | 2005-06-24 |
| - Reviewed By bmcsp3 |
| Way too much has been written over time about what was going on in Johns life when this record was cut.The painful seperation from Yoko,lost weekend,etc.For those who didnt try to figure out the complex Mr.Lennon,the news is good for rock and roll.This album just cooks.Some great songs only John could write,and tight players to lay it down.2 things set this apart for greatness:1.the terrific band and guests(Elton,Harry Nilsson)and best of all-2.no Yoko.I agree with those who say this is JL's best record.A must. |
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| "A highly underrated album" | 2005-02-19 |
| - Reviewed By jfsot |
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.
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