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Label: Warner Brothers
Sound/Style: Eclectic set of John Lennon remakes
By Steve Morley
UMC.org—The notion of a John Lennon tribute to spark awareness for human rights abuses in Darfur, Sudan is one with its fair share of wrinkles. Lennon’s socially conscious songs were often diminished by lyrics that were self-referencing, acerbic, indulgent, or all the above. While the cause behind the album is undeniably worthy, the double-disc set Instant Karma is a sprawling and uneven affair that can’t begin to reconcile the contradictions in John Lennon’s solo work, much less sustain a relevant statement about present-day atrocities.
As a generator of publicity, though, the release of Instant Karma rightly acknowledges Lennon’s place as an originator of media events that linked pop music and politics. Such was the case with "Give Peace a Chance," recorded during Lennon and wife Yoko Ono’s 1969 "bed-in" for world peace. Surprisingly, one of the stronger moments on the new album is a rousing reggae remake of that bare-bones composition, fleshed out by Sierra Leone’s Refugee All-Stars (with negligible contributions from marquee-toppers Aerosmith). The band of West African civil war refugees brings an awareness of national violence and displacement in added lyrics that reaffirm the reason for the celebrity get-together: "Forget the past and learn to forgive/ Everything on Earth has its own right to live/ Whether you are black and whether you are white/ Stop this and let us unite."
Much of the package features mainstream stars, only a few of whom add measurable originality to the proceedings. U2’s cover of the title track is strangely lackluster, and country duo Big & Rich’s paint-by-numbers take on "Nobody Told Me" typifies the big-name filler scattered throughout the collection.
The ten-year gap between Lennon’s edgy early ‘70s output and his comparatively serene final releases results in inconsistencies that are hard to ignore despite some strong performances. "Real Love," a Lennon-penned hit for The Beatles in 1995, is a highlight, presented here by Russian songstress Regina Spektor.
The uplifting track is brashly juxtaposed by an unvarnished reading of "God," in which Lennon—as interpreted by emo-rockers Jack’s Mannequin—dismisses John Kennedy, Buddha, Bob Dylan, The Beatles and Jesus before concluding "I just believe in me." Songs like these—written during an emotionally volatile period—are unflattering musical Polaroids perhaps best left in the bottom drawer, especially when the occasion is one of looking outward to provide aid.
The nod to Robert Browning’s inspirational poem in Lennon’s touching "Grow Old With Me" makes for a striking contrast next to the anti-religious sentiments in Lennon’s earlier work. The song appears here in a synth-pop treatment by modern electronica artists Postal Service, whose affecting and sparse version daringly departs from the original: "Grow old along with me/ The best is yet to be/ When our time is come/ We will be as one/ God bless our love / God bless our love."
Lennon famously fantasized about a world with no religion on "Imagine," an inspired number that yearns for a peaceful and unified world despite the absence of God it envisions. While "Imagine" comes closest to embracing the ideals behind Amnesty International’s Instant Karma project, it begs one final thought: Perhaps a world in which human rights are defended without the need for a largely disposable pop album is the best thing we could imagine.
Audio Clips
U2: "Instant Karma"
R.E.M.: "#9 Dream"
Christina Aguilera: "Mother"
Lenny Kravitz: "Cold Turkey"
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