I decided to launch a new series to imagine myself as a critic at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s, and to rectify certain reviews from Rolling Stone magazine and Creem. This not meant to be contrarian, but to offer a more balanced perspective. This is a group of lesser-known albums.
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Lennon / Ono – Unfinished Music Vol 1: Two Virgins (1968)
*3/4
Producers
and Performers: John Lennon and Yoko Ono
Pieces:
Two Virgins No. 1-5, Two Virgins No. 6-10
Reviewed by Matthew Anthony Allair
A new
experimental piece has been offered by John Lennon and new partner Yoko Ono, in
the midst of the release of The Beatles new album, that has offered quite a
deal of controversy over it’s front and back nude cover art, but the issue
should be accessing the content itself. This avant-garde work follows the idiom
of musique concrete, but none of this is at the level of a Edgard Varese, or a
Stockhausen, or Pierre Schaeffer. Both sides were created by John and Yoko, Ms.
Ono is part of the Fluxus movement, and a detail that has to be taken into
account. Side one “Two Virgins part 1-4” opens with source sounds and some toy
flute, the tinkling of pitched, distorted piano. Strange vocalizing, percussion,
some odd guitar whaling, There’s a drone towards the end and John and Yoko’s
random voices. In great contrast to the other experimental track off of The
Beatles album, “Revolution #9” manages to sound more musically concise and with
a more thematically focused, this just doesn’t seem to say much of anything. At
least it’s brief.
Side two opens with a source organ and manages to have more of Yoko’s vocalizing as it continues on with the piano manipulation, as it jumps between source sounds. While I get the humor, as musique concrete works go, this isn’t very good, and fails with its aim. Again, it’s fairly brief. Ideas are not enough in and of themselves, ideas are a start. This reminds me of Marcel Duchamp signing a toilet bowl and calling it ‘art’, it wasn’t. The problem with most Avant-grade work is that it requires a tremendous about of intellectual heft to justify and demonstrate its point, and often it fails. This feels intellectually lazy as presented as a released work. The fact that Ralph J. Gleason, the venerable music and jazz critic, gave this piece high marks, makes one wonder if there was some sort of cohesion involved, or - dare I say it - as there’s no proof - some kind of payola offered for the assessment. That may be a damning point. I think I am more shocked over Gleason endorsement than the album cover art. I am less angry over this than more baffled, in the end this feels hollow, there’s nothing much said, to paraphrase the bard ‘sound and fury signifying nothing’. Only for the curious.
Lennon
/ Ono - Unfinished Music Vol 2: Life with the Lions
(1969)
*
Producers
and Performers: John Lennon and Yoko Ono
Musicians:
John Tchicai, John Stevens, Mal Evans
Pieces: Cambridge
1969, No Bed For Beatle John, Baby’s Heartbeat, Two Minutes Silence, Radio Play
Reviewed
By Matthew Anthony Allair
At least
the prior project, the aural happening that was Two Virgins, had musique
concrete elements. This manages to feel even less focused, even under the guise
of avant-garde, this feels hollow. John and Yoko seem committed to documenting
their relationship, which is their right, but it doesn’t make for a very
interesting listen. Once again this seems more dedicated to an aural moment,
but the message seems more muddied than anything else. Are they arguing that
every living relationship is a work of art? Quant idea, but it seems like it
could be expressed better in song or the written word. Side one is a live
performance “Cambridge 1969” that is comprised of Yoko’s odd vocalizing and
John’s guitar feedback, a percussionist and saxophone player come in near the
end, which I suppose give a free jazz element under a rock guise, I suppose,
but the ideas over stay their welcome after a few minutes. A more concise edit
would have left space for other things. Ideas are not enough, just a start. What
is maddening is that I have heard an acetate of The Beatles “What’s The New
Mary Jane”, an odd number with a disturbing second half that manages to be more
concise than anything here. Furthermore, Yoko did record a proper song with
“Remember Love”, so she can sing, thus, her whaling vocals is a tactical
choice. Odd.
Side two
opens with some proper Japanese styled hymn like vocals from Ono, “No Bed For
Beatle John”, as she sings about a press article regarding a hospital visit,
John offer’s a counter vocal about the Divorce from Cynthia. I can’t tell if
this is mocking a situation, or if it’s mocking the machinery of the written
press, but it just doesn’t some across as far as the intent. “Baby’s Heartbeat”
is self-explanatory as it’s a recording of a fetus, there may be some tape
manipulation as far as the rhythm of the heart, but it’s an idea that wears
it’s welcome quickly. Some of this documents Yoko’s miscarriage – and to that,
they have my sympathies. “Two Minute Silence” is self-explanatory, yes, John,
we get the joke. The idea might have been better if they laid in some vinyl
pops or surface noise to add in some irony, hence, it’s just empty. The final
piece, “Radio Play” is background chatter of the duo, laced with the audio of
either, guitar noises, organ blips, clipped voices, or just radio static, I
can’t tell, but I lean towards the later. This feels like they are putting
people on; I can’t tell if it’s sincere, or just cynical towards those who
follow avant-garde music. Only for the most curious, buyer beware.
Lennon
/ Ono – Wedding Album
(1969)
*1/2
Producers
and Performers: John Lennon and Yoko Ono
Pieces:
John and Yoko, Amsterdam
Reviewed
By Matthew Anthony Allair
I will say
this, there is more humor and humanity intact with this package, this is more
in the field of an aural happening than anything musique concrete, but it tries
the patience none the lass. John and Yoko’s third release of experimental documentation
begins by overextending it’s welcome with side one’s “John and Yoko”, which
seems more like an acting exercise than anything else, John and Yoko emote
their names back and forth with different emotional reads, that’s about it,
there’s at least some studio reverb to add a little polish. Some propulsive
sound drives this, as extra breathing is added in for the last half. It builds
into some ecstasy and come downs. The idea has a sea of potential that is
undermined by the dross of misbegotten notions. Again, an idea is not the be
all and end all, just a start. Craft matters too.
Side two
opens with Yoko’s Japanese hymn like vocal calling for peace, then, what sounds
like some found Buddhist monk chants, and the documentation of their peace tour, While
John’s idea about Peace is a commendable one that focuses away from just
Vietnam into broader, it seems like a limited slogan. How can one have Peace
when people aren’t Peaceful in non-violent ways? But when Hitler and World War Two is brought
up, they tend to evade the atrocities of Japan in that War, aside from the
persecution and murder of the Jews, it seems like a naïve oversight. But John’s
point that we all have Hitler and Jesus within us is a valid point. “Amsterdam”
offers another sound collage before we get some slice of life of John and Yoko,
waking up, ordering hotel breakfast, but I can see other’s feeling their lives
seem so disconnected from working class people. second document of their bed in
interview, while they read letters. While they talk about their nuptials, John
offers an acoustic blues to wish Amsterdam well. Yoko sings while John noddles
over an acoustic that sounds like a variant from “Because” from the recent
Abbey Road release. John offers up an acapella of “Good Night” before the
closer. While the sentiment is sincere, the whole aural presentation feels
monumentally inconsequential. One feels like again, John and Yoko are just
putting people on, but then again, it may have all been for a laugh. Just for
the strictly curious.
All comments are welcome!
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