As we notch one bravura anniversary after another in Beatles and solo-Beatles world, music lovers have been treated to a succession of box sets and deluxe repackagings. For the most part, the results have been fairly mixed, with some editions arriving chockful of outtakes and new mixes, while others feature a paucity of supplementary materials.
With "Mind Games: The Ultimate Collection," the Lennon estate has demonstrated once again that they have a keen eye (and ear) for providing fans with a truly deluxe experience. Indeed, they have far outclassed the field in terms of not only commemorating John Lennon’s original LPs, but creating a richly curated selection of outtakes, elemental mixes and other assorted rarities in the process.
As with "Plastic Ono Band" and "Imagine," the special edition of "Mind Games" augments the original release in numerous and profound ways. Originally released in October 1973, "Mind Games" proved to be Lennon’s spectacular return to form after 1972’s "Some Time in New York City." And for listeners who enjoyed "Mind Games" during its heyday, the deluxe edition will be a revelation.
Simply put, "Mind Games" has never sounded better. During the original sessions, Lennon was expertly supported by Ken Ascher on keyboards, David Spinozza on lead guitar, Gordon Edwards on bass and Jim Keltner behind the drum kit. Produced by Sean Ono Lennon with Paul Hicks, Sam Gannon, and Rob Stevens, the new edition, from top to bottom, is an unqualified masterpiece.
The new mixes are crisp and spacious, particularly in the case of the title track, with its delicate chamber pop cadences. Meanwhile, the unbridled energy in songs like “Bring on the Lucie (Freda Peeple)” crackles as Lennon and his top-flight band threaten to go off the rails. For my money, “Aisumasen (I’m Sorry)” has never sounded more poignant, more moving than in this latest production.
And then there’s “You Are Here,” Lennon’s paean to his transcontinental connection with wife Yoko Ono. The new mix is, by turns, buoyant and tender, a precursor to the songwriter’s Lost Weekend and, at the time, the couple’s uncertain future. The track oozes with 1970s-era philosophizing — “wherever you are, you are here” — but as with Lennon’s finest work, the vocals hint at a larger, enduring sadness that has rendered songs such as “You Are Here” even more affecting with each passing year.
To the producers’ great credit, "Mind Games" absolutely bristles with supplementary material. With “You Are Here,” for example, listeners can trace the song’s evolution from ideation to studio realization through a succession of outtakes. Featuring some 72 tracks, "Mind Games" is nothing short of a bonanza. With deluxe versions of albums like "Walls and Bridges" and "Double Fantasy" still in the offing, music lovers can only ponder and dream about what might come next. But with the Lennon estate’s track record of excellence, we can just imagine the possibilities that await us.
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