Plastic Ono Band cover

Plastic Ono Band

Released

In The Beatles solo career measuring contest, Plastic Ono Band tops McCartney—though Beatle Paul rather sneakily dropped the breakup bomb and released his first. Director Peter Jackson’s Get Back reveals Lennon as far more of a goofball than a sage, but this album runs deep with nary a false note. “God” turns the page on The Beatles. “Mother” and “My Mummy’s Dead” are pitch perfect as the therapeutic opener and closer of the album. Powered by Lennon’s piano, “Love” and “Isolation” are primo low-fi emo rock. Lennon wasn’t the genius of The Beatles, but judging the Lennon and McCartney solo albums right after the split, one might be inclined to think so.

Miles Marshall Lewis

Recommended by

Suggestions
Paris 1919 cover

Paris 1919

John Cale
The Velvet Underground cover

The Velvet Underground

The Velvet Underground
Leading Horses cover

Leading Horses

The Plastic People of the Universe
Charmer cover

Charmer

Aimee Mann
Astral Weeks cover

Astral Weeks

Van Morrison
Strawberry Jam cover

Strawberry Jam

Animal Collective
Mayor of Punkville cover

Mayor of Punkville

William Parker, The Little Huey Creative Music Orchestra