MANLOVE AVE.

MANLOVE AVE : Got this only just recently. Was waiting for the exorbitant price to go down but it never did. Ironically after having waited years to get this and when I finally did, I found a much cheaper one at the flea market a few weeks later. Sign. The title referred to John's childhood home which was 251, Manlove Avenue in Liverpool. Still, since John is gone, this is a welcome addition to my addition. If only for the CD cover alone which was designed by Andy  Warhol, just months before John's tragic death. The materials here are culled mostly from outtakes from his "Wall And Bridges" and "Rock 'n' Roll" album, with most of the materials from "Wall And Bridges" arguably better than the finished product. A word of caution though, this is not one for the casual fans.

Here We Go Again ( J. Lennon / P. Spector ) : This first track was supposed to be on the "Mind Game" album and that's a reason why it didn't make the cut. It's awful and it's awful too that they chooses to start the album with this track. There are surely better songs to be found here. Incidentally this is also the only song ever to bear the composing credits of John Lennon and Phil Spector.

Rock And Roll People (  J. Lennon ) : This uptempo track fared much better. It was given to Johnny Winters eventually. Quite enjoyable.

Angel Baby ( R. Hamlin ) :  Another fairly listenable number as John tried to outdo Phil Spector as the master of the consul. John's vocal is as impressive as ever.

Since My Baby Left Me ( Pending ) : This one should be the one that starts the album. Fairly fast with great vocal. Should have been on the "Rock 'n' Roll" as originally intented.

To Know Her Is To Love Her ( P. Spector ) : The musical backing is good but the singing is way too slow  and draggy for my liking. John did a much better version with The Beatles on their "Live At The BBC" years before. Only thing that kept me from pressing the skip button was John's voice which was as great as ever. As mentioned before, the vocal was great but not the material.

Steel And Glass ( J. Lennon ) : This stripped down outtake from "Wall And Bridges"ironically sounds ever better than the over produced official version. Starting out quietly with a gently, strumming guitar, without the Paul McCartney character assassination track 'How Do You Sleep' musical backing, this could almost have been a reflective ballad rather than one of his notorious put-downs, the 'victim' this time being his and The Beatles one time manager Alan Klein. Interestingly, in the final verse, John let loose with some infantile sneering insults " There you stand with your toilet sand / And your Micky Duck and your Donald Fuck". These verses of course was deleted from the official release with John substituting the verses with the much safer " You leave your smell like an alley cat".

Scared ( J. Lennon ) : Never was a great fan of this song to begin with, this stripped down outtake somehow make it slightly more bearable. This track, however wouldn't be out of place with his first album "John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band".

Old Dirt Road ( J. Lennon / H. Nilsson ) : The strong country influence on this track is even more prevalent here. Less quieter than on the official version. A good track though not great.

Nobody Loves You [ When You're Down And Out ] ( J. Lennon ) :  The highlight from "Wall And Bridges", John in self pitying mood and with this stripped down rehearsal, it really sounds that he can't make it without Yoko, with whom he was having problem with during the recording of this. I think I like the official version more.

Bless You ( J. Lennon ) : This was another highlight from "Walls And Bridges" and one of my favorite too but this outtake just doesn't cut it. Extremely self pitying, John have trouble keeping in tune and his voice cracks up rather too much for comfortable listening. Give me the official version anytime.

DOP : 22nd February 2013.