That would be Morris Levy, a truly shameless criminal in a business that produced more of that class per capita than any other field, except perhaps the 19th century railroad game. He inspired two indelible portraits, first in the person of the music biz honcho in The Sopranos and, even better, in Tommy James' lengthy description - equal parts loving and horrified - in his autobiography, Me, the Mob, and the Music.
Interesting. Yet made Lennon do what he should have done from the start. The unacknowledged “theft” of the 60’s is kind of what makes me so positive about the accreditation-craze of today. You sneeze in the studio and you get a credit on the track. Probably for the better.
I think you were right the first time: "mysteries of emotional and rhythmic commitment” was spot on. Lennon sounds exhausted, and the backup sounds overloaded and incoherent, whether or not Phil or John is responsible for it. I think the "Stand By Me" is an eternal classic, the "Bony Maronie" works in a mad tea party way, and everything else topples on its face or backwards, to say nothing of justice not done to raw, off-the-cuff classics. But though I think ranking this with Plastic Ono Band and Imagine is a momentary lapse of reason, I give your affection an A. There are worse things to make peace with than this LP, and worse singers to love unconditionally than John Winston Ono Lennon.
Now that i noticed his own version of that Teddy Bears classic (for myself at age 5 anyway),maybe that whole album was also dedicated to Yoko.Not to impress us ,R&R's who knew all of those song too well.And still do when i'm listening to them now.But that guitar break on "Peggy Sue" could have been a lot better.
For those who care about box scores, Xgau originally described the outtakes to “Rock N Roll” that later appeared on “Menlove Avenue” as “stiffer than the intakes.” Almost thirty years later, when he reviewed the “Rock N Roll” reissue bonus tracks, he picked out two of those songs as “choice cuts.” So I think he warmed up to that record a long time ago, he just didn’t know it.
Lists are a really bad idea to begin with, (see Dave Letterman) but that vocalists list belongs on a Top 10 worst best. And it’s time to just let Lennon and the Beatles be. We’ve heard them enough already. There’s plenty of other music worth listening to, old and new.
Is there an argument being made here? Sadly, it’s the brevity of Lennon’s post-Beatle output that can lead to grade inflation. Just because (no pun) we’ve been in a bit of a nightmare since 12/8/80 doesn’t retroactively redeem this one necessarily. It was at the time a stark comment on Lennon’s exhausted muse (he hadn’t had a truly worthy album since 1971). Spector overdid everything as usual, but there was at least some character to his production - Lennon tried without success to ape that grandiose production but ended up sounding hollow (his mimicking of Spector was better on Pussy Cats). Rock ‘N’ Roll is a sad retirement package from an artist who had burned too bright but eventually lost the plot. Then after losing said plot he retreated to making an oldies album and retiring. Double Fantasy/Milk & Honey showed a hint of spark and who knows what might have come after?
In Art Fein’s book Rock’s In My Head, his week playing 45s for Lennon (in between doing his Capitol job getting Yoko interviews) is shown to be perhaps the start of this project.
The mail order Adam VIII version should be mentioned / Morris Levy’s son Adam was 8 years old at the time. The story of the infringement triggered by “here come old flat-top” in “Come Together” is one of the most hilarious RNR stories.
I hated this album. I gave it another listen, and now I recognize the vocal performance by Lennon is ingenious - but I still hate it. I can't stand the production and many of the arrangements grate. When I want to hear the great master expressing the full timbre and range of rock'n'roll singing, I'll put on Plastic Ono Band.
It also didn’t include Billie Holiday or Louis Armstrong, who he usually includes in these lists. I doubt he spent much time on this particular list. So I imagine it was just an oversight.
Mr. Christgau,
At the risk of a B- being downgraded, I humbly request you’d consider revisiting Todd Rundgren’s A Wizard, A True Star.
I guess we have whoever sued Lennon on behalf of Chuck Berry to thank for inspiring this newly "A" ranked classic into our midst!
That would be Morris Levy, a truly shameless criminal in a business that produced more of that class per capita than any other field, except perhaps the 19th century railroad game. He inspired two indelible portraits, first in the person of the music biz honcho in The Sopranos and, even better, in Tommy James' lengthy description - equal parts loving and horrified - in his autobiography, Me, the Mob, and the Music.
Doesn’t sound like Morris will get an upgrade from Bob.
Interesting. Yet made Lennon do what he should have done from the start. The unacknowledged “theft” of the 60’s is kind of what makes me so positive about the accreditation-craze of today. You sneeze in the studio and you get a credit on the track. Probably for the better.
I think you were right the first time: "mysteries of emotional and rhythmic commitment” was spot on. Lennon sounds exhausted, and the backup sounds overloaded and incoherent, whether or not Phil or John is responsible for it. I think the "Stand By Me" is an eternal classic, the "Bony Maronie" works in a mad tea party way, and everything else topples on its face or backwards, to say nothing of justice not done to raw, off-the-cuff classics. But though I think ranking this with Plastic Ono Band and Imagine is a momentary lapse of reason, I give your affection an A. There are worse things to make peace with than this LP, and worse singers to love unconditionally than John Winston Ono Lennon.
Now that i noticed his own version of that Teddy Bears classic (for myself at age 5 anyway),maybe that whole album was also dedicated to Yoko.Not to impress us ,R&R's who knew all of those song too well.And still do when i'm listening to them now.But that guitar break on "Peggy Sue" could have been a lot better.
For those who care about box scores, Xgau originally described the outtakes to “Rock N Roll” that later appeared on “Menlove Avenue” as “stiffer than the intakes.” Almost thirty years later, when he reviewed the “Rock N Roll” reissue bonus tracks, he picked out two of those songs as “choice cuts.” So I think he warmed up to that record a long time ago, he just didn’t know it.
Well, Michael, Bob actually wrote "even stiffer than the intakes," so I'm not so sure about the timeframe you're hypothesizing. . . .
Menlove Avenue review: 1986
“Rock n roll” Reissue: consumer guide 5/17/05, Choice cuts section.
Lists are a really bad idea to begin with, (see Dave Letterman) but that vocalists list belongs on a Top 10 worst best. And it’s time to just let Lennon and the Beatles be. We’ve heard them enough already. There’s plenty of other music worth listening to, old and new.
Is there an argument being made here? Sadly, it’s the brevity of Lennon’s post-Beatle output that can lead to grade inflation. Just because (no pun) we’ve been in a bit of a nightmare since 12/8/80 doesn’t retroactively redeem this one necessarily. It was at the time a stark comment on Lennon’s exhausted muse (he hadn’t had a truly worthy album since 1971). Spector overdid everything as usual, but there was at least some character to his production - Lennon tried without success to ape that grandiose production but ended up sounding hollow (his mimicking of Spector was better on Pussy Cats). Rock ‘N’ Roll is a sad retirement package from an artist who had burned too bright but eventually lost the plot. Then after losing said plot he retreated to making an oldies album and retiring. Double Fantasy/Milk & Honey showed a hint of spark and who knows what might have come after?
In Art Fein’s book Rock’s In My Head, his week playing 45s for Lennon (in between doing his Capitol job getting Yoko interviews) is shown to be perhaps the start of this project.
The mail order Adam VIII version should be mentioned / Morris Levy’s son Adam was 8 years old at the time. The story of the infringement triggered by “here come old flat-top” in “Come Together” is one of the most hilarious RNR stories.
I hated this album. I gave it another listen, and now I recognize the vocal performance by Lennon is ingenious - but I still hate it. I can't stand the production and many of the arrangements grate. When I want to hear the great master expressing the full timbre and range of rock'n'roll singing, I'll put on Plastic Ono Band.
Just a brief wondering why Bob's top-of-the-head thoughts on all-time greatest singers didn't include Al Green--just a momentary oversight?
It also didn’t include Billie Holiday or Louis Armstrong, who he usually includes in these lists. I doubt he spent much time on this particular list. So I imagine it was just an oversight.
Been dependent on his "Can't Catch Me" for years. There's something so sad in there somewhere.
"Just because you left and said goodbye..."
Always dug that one...
Putting it on right now!
I’m rather fond of John Lennon’s Rock and Roll myself
Great stuff but I'm a little confused by the opening paragraph -- why was this B- in your A shelf to begin with?
Paul did a great cover of It’s So Easy. Maybe better than anything on John’s rock n roll album.
PS If we talking about past mistakes, you never did review ‘Til Tuesday’s Everything Is Different Now. Which is a A easily in my book
Going to give John a second chance, too ;)
I’m surprised though that Tom Jones isn’t ranked among the top vocalists on anyone’s list.