Surprisingly enjoyable set of grunge-tinged covers.   February 12, 2002

There's a cohesiveness to the songs and artists. It doesn't feel forced or disjointed like the Led Zep Encomium disc (where you could just see the A&R guys doling out asssignments to the "hot" bands on the label). I play 75% of this disc when I dig it out. It's worth your time and $$$.


A bit disappointing   January 27, 2002
  8 out of 10 found this review helpful

John Lennon's music was so intensely personal that it can be difficult for someone to convey his emotions in a cover version. Also, this album contains covers by several flash-in-the-pan groups who don't seem to have a clue what they are singing or why.

In the category of trying to re-create a personal song, there is 'How Do You Sleep?' performed here by The Magnificent Bastards. Although the lead singer sounds appropriately angry, what is he angry about? John Lennon was angry at Paul McCartney at the time he recorded the song, so that cannot be re-cycled. Another intense song of Lennon-angst, 'Well Well Well' gets a fairly good turn from Super 8, but nothing could match Lennon's misery on the original version. I was very disappointed with Cheap Trick's version of 'Cold Turkey' which is virtually unrecognizable and sounds like a pop tune rather than the painful tale of a man overcoming heroin addition.

There are very few highlights on the album, where the artists create their own version of the Lennon song, but keep true to the emotion of the original, without sacrificing their personal stamp. To me, the best versions on the album are 'Imagine' by Blues Traveler, which is very folky and mellow, but also very distinctive with John Popper's vocals. Collective Soul do a very good version of 'Jealous Guy' and Mary Chapin Carpenter's version of 'Grow Old With Me' is tender and memorable.

I wouldn't recommend buying this cd, since most of the versions are forgettable. It's not really worth it for the few good songs on the album.


Working Class Hero   December 31, 2000
  0 out of 4 found this review helpful

This is a totally awesome piece of work. The various artists are faithful to the orginal without totally recreating John's work. Worth a listen or twenty!


Lennon would vomit   December 3, 2000
  3 out of 14 found this review helpful

With just two exceptions: Red Hot Chili Peppers (I Found Out), and George Clinton (Mind Games), this cd is crap: plain and simple. People like Mary Chapin Carpenter and the Screaming Trees (yeah, I have no idea who they are either) have no business attempting to cover even Lennon's weakest songs. There are, if I am not mistaken, five big name artists on this album, The Peppers, Clinton, Carpenter, Cheap Trick, and Blues Traveler. Forgive me if I have forgotten any other big names, but I do not have my copy of the cd handy. Out of the five only the two mentioned in the first sentence do an even decent job (they do a great job, btw), and it isn't enough to carry the album. Blues Traveler's version of Imagine is just horrible, my ears bleed every time I hear Popper screech the lyrics out. Cheap Trick's Cold Turkey is tolerable at best. The rest of the album is filled with crappy covers of some of Lennon's best work from bands I have never heard of. I only wish Amazon would let you give a rating of zero stars, because even giving it one makes me feel dirty.


A Fair Tribute to John Lennon   July 31, 2000
  12 out of 12 found this review helpful

I remember a televised tribute to John Lennon in the 1980's. During this tribute, Lenny Kravitz did a fantastic cover of John's Cold Turkey. Cyndi Lauper did a remarkable rendition of working class hero. These artists captured John's soul in their rendition of his work. Having this show in the back of my mind, I believed that I would get the same from this CD. With some exceptions, I did not.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers do an admirable job covering John's "I Found Out," using Lennon's / Phil Spector's "wall of sound" technique as well. "Blues Traveler" does an interesting cover of "Imagine" using guitars and organ music. Their rendition of "Imagine" has a simplicity that John would truly appreciate. "Grow Old With Me" is a beautiful song; made even more so by the lovely voice of Mary Chapin Carpenter. George Clinton certainly captures John's depth and emotions on his rendition of "Mind Games." If John were alive today, he would truly be honored by these aforementioned covers of his work.

For the most part, the rest of this CD is "filler." Many of the remaining artists simply lack John's depth and perception. It is like Karaoke in a way: You get the words right, you mimic the artist; but, unfortunately, the karaoke singer cannot capture the artists soul. Basically, most of the remaining artists fail to capture John's intensity -- his soul. For this reason, this CD is only "fair."

With a little more work, I believe these artists would have been able to put together a truly remarkable tribute to the immortal John Lennon. Unfortunately, they fell a little short of the mark.

A fair tribute, indeed -- not the best; but, certainly not the worst.