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Title: A turgid mess
Review: John Lennon revisiting the rock-and-roll gems of his youth? Sounds great, until you actually hear the results. Aside from the first cut, a snappy version of Gene Vincent's "Be-Bop-A-Lula" (which Paul McCartney also covered on "Unplugged"), the whole thing is a soggy, bludgeoning mess. Phil Spector, who Lennon brought in to produce, left after completing only four tracks. Alas, Lennon chose to adopt Spector's elephantine production style, dangerous enough in the hands of its inventor and pure poison in anybody else's. It's a pity. Buddy Holly, Little Richard, Chuck Berry--they all got the red-carpet treatment from the Beatles, who not infrequently matched or surpassed their original inspirations. Here you find Lennon paddling clumsily in the wake of his heroes. Even his off-the-cuff version of "Blue Suede Shoes" on "Live Peace in Toronto," hastily rehearsed during a transatlantic plane flight (!), puts this recording to shame.
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