Lennon Legend

iTunes Review

Every John Lennon collection inevitably includes certain standards — “Imagine,” “Instant Karma!,” “Mind Games” and  “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” — that have come to define the man’s post-Beatles solo work. It simply comes down to a matter of how much additional material makes for a well-rounded portrait of the man. His first two solo albums — 1970’s Plastic Ono Band and 1971’s Imagine — are every bit as insightful to his prodigious talents as a songwriter, singer and musician, but his later works should never be quickly discounted either. “Watching the Wheels,” “Nobody Told Me,” and “Borrowed Time” are completely worthy contributions to the Lennon canon and offer an honest look at the man’s final years. “Love,” “#9 Dream” and “Woman” accurately represent Lennon’s softer side, and are immediately recognizable to anyone who owns a radio, but Lennon was never a strict romantic balladeer. The inclusion of the scarred and scared “Mother” and the withering social-class commentary of “Working Class Hero” represent Lennon at his most engaged and engaging.