John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (The Ultimate Mixes)

There's been no bigger McCartney fan than I over the decades, but even I must admit that Plastic Ono Band is the greatest LP released by any solo Beatle, and God is an absolute masterpiece. There's hardly a day goes by that I don't wonder what John would have to say about the state of our world.

"Mother" might be the greatest song recording ever made. And the whole album is composed of songs that are as real as they come. The world, of music and beyond, is still catching up to what he set down here. As far as rock music goes, the fierce existential clarity and emotional power of this album (and the later career it proved a mission statement for) have never been surpassed. This new mix is beautiful, crystallinely rendering the singular, radical style the album has, and I hope it helps instruct new generations of musicians as to the true power of songwriting.

Love hearing different mixes of these tracks. Even if they aren’t always better than the original it’s fun to listen