Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur
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Music CD Cover
Composer: John LennonEdition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2007-06-12
Music Label: Warner Bros / Wea
Soundtracks:
Music CD 1
- Instant Karma -- U2
- #9 Dream -- R.E.M.
- Mother -- Christina Aguilera
- Give Peace A Chance -- Aerosmith with Sierra Leone Refuge All-Stars
- Cold Turkey -- Lenny Kravitz
- Whatever Gets You Through the Night -- Los Lonely Boys
- I'm Losing You -- Corinne Bailey Rae
- Gimme Some Truth -- Jakob Dylan Feat. Dhani Harrison
- Oh, My Love -- Jackson Browne
- Imagine -- Avril Lavigne
- Nobody Told Me -- Big & Rich
- Jealous Guy -- Youssou N'Dour
- Working Class Hero -- Green Day
- Power to the People -- Black Eyed Peas
- Imagine -- Jack Johnson
- Beautiful Boy -- Ben Harper
- Isolation -- Snow Patrol
- Watching the Wheels -- Matisyahu
- Grow Old With Me -- Postal Service
- Gimme Me Some Truth -- Jaguares
- (Just Like) Starting Over -- The Flaming Lips
- God -- Jack's Mannequin feat. Mick Fleetwood
- Real Love -- Regina Spektor
Free Music Notes for Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur
Free Music Review: It isn't the original artist, but it's a worthy cause
Hit: 5 Stars
I grew up listening to the Beatles, and John Lennon via my older brother and his record playing. Of course John Lennon's versions of his own songs are definitive, but with a heartbreaking cause behind this album it's worth the money (and yes, you should buy it, not download it.) Here is my take on the tunes;
Disc 1
1) Instant Karma-U2. It's U2. It's weird hearing them do reggae, but U2 could record anything and I'll go along for the ride. I wish Bono had come at this song like he did "Vertigo", but I love U2. I can't say it's bad, it just could have kicked @##.
2) #9 Dream-R.E.M. I like R.E.M. Michael Stipe's voice is perfect for this song. Hews closely to the original version.
3) Mother-Christina Aguilera. I don't care for Christina Aguilera. While she (gratefully) refrains from too many vocal gymnastics and is relatively restrained on this cut, to me it just sounds like she's reading the lyrics off the page. I don't get any connection between her and what the song is about. I can't help but wonder how this would have been if The Eels had been given a shot at this.
4) Give Peace A Chance-Aerosmith & Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars. I can take or leave Aerosmith. Steven Tyler really only sings one way. Screaming. But I did enjoy the reggae take on the song.
5) Lenny Kravitz-Cold Turkey. I actually like Lenny Kravitz, but I have no idea what he was thinking when he recorded this cut. Instead of going through heroin withdrawl, he's sounds like he's fighing off narcolepsy. Very disappointing.
6) Los Lonely Boys-Whatever Gets You Through The Night. The original is one of my all time favorites. I don't like LLBs. Do the math.
7) I'm Losing You-Corrine Bailey Rae. I know there is a buzz about this young woman, but I'm not on that bandwagon yet. She definitely connects with the lyrics, and the quiet electric piano accompaniment is a plus. But she strikes me a little weak vocally, even for this kind of song.
8) Jakob Dylan & Dhani Harrison-Gimme Some Truth. I do like Jakob Dylan, and his world weary vocals are perfect for this song. Very good.
9) Jackson Browne-Oh, My Love. I had to double check who sang this track. I wouldn't have known otherwise that it was Jackson Browne. Having said that, of course, he does a good job.
10) Imagine-Avril Lavigne. This was one of Lennon's biggest hits of his solo career. When I saw that Avril Lavigne was on the album at all I was ticked off (trasparent attempt to grab the Tweeners and "youth demographic". Much rolling of eyes ensued.) I do not care for Ms. Lavigne. And while I like the musical part of the song, there was never any hope of her getting any where near doing this song justice. If younger kids get into Lennon/The Beatles because of her, then great. Otherwise, her vocals are terrible and a waste of good music.
11) Nobody Told Me-Big & Rich. Okay, I know of B&R, but they're not someone I would have listened to. But they have fun with what is a throw away Lennon song, and they actually do a good job.
12) Jealous Guy-Youssou N'Dour. This is definitly a different take. I presume N'Dour is singing in Wolof, except for the chorus. His vocals suit the songs lyrics. Very good.
Disc 2
1) Working Class Hero-Green Day. Since "American Idiot" I have been very impressed with these guys. They get it, and they kick @## with this song. In my opinion, this is the best cut off the album. Kudos.
2) Power To The People-Black Eyed Peas. Not a big fan of BEP, however I was pleasantly surprised. If anything they should have gone at the song harder. Louder gospel choir, louder claps. But a nice job anyway.
3) Imagine-Jack Johnson. I agree with other reviews asking why there had to be any duplications on this disc. I'm fairly certain Lennon wrote more than 23 songs. Johnson isn't my cup of tea, he's a little too light vocally for my taste. But at least he understands what the song is about.
It's okay.
4) Beautiful Boy-Ben Harper. I really like this cut. Very well done. Nice touch with the "Indian" sound at the start, and the celeste in the middle.
My second fav.
5) Isolation-Snow Patrol. I really like this band, I enjoyed both of their albums. This a haunting song, and SP do a great job.
6) Watching The Wheels-Matisyahu. Not one of Lennon's stronger songs. A decent version of fair song.
7) Grow Old With Me-Postal Service. I've never heard of,or heard Postal Service before but I Like what they do here, with spare Euroelectropop to accompany musically.
8) Gimme Some Truth-Jaguares. The second version of this song for the album. The Jaguares lead singer even sounds like Jakob Dylan. It isn't badly done or anything, but it does beg the question of why another version of this song.
9) (Just Like) Starting Over-The Flaming Lips. I know I like at least one song by TFL. And I like the music on this track. But Wayne Coyne sounds like he just woke up. And he hasn't had his coffee yet. Other than that...
10) God-Jack's Mannequin featuring Mick Fleetwood. I've never heard of this guy/group before. But he does a pretty good job with a tough song.
11) Real Love-Regina Spektor. Another person I've never heard of before. While not technically a perfect singer, she works with what she has, and with spare piano accompaniment she connects with the lyrics, and closes out the collection with a haunting version of this song. Beautiful lyric, very well done.
Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur Poster
Featuring songs by the iconic John Lennon newly recorded by some of today's biggest as well as emerging artists, Instant Karma: The Campaign to Save Darfur is a major benefit-album project. In an effort to mobilize activism around this catastrophe, musicians unite to save lives. Some of the biggest artists in the world, along with today's emerging artists, all coming together for an unprecedented, brilliant collection of JOHN LENNON "covers." Proceeds from the campaign will go directly to support Amnesty International's urgent work on Darfur and other human rights crises worldwide.John Lennon would have turned 67 in 2007. If alive, he could well be at the forefront of bringing peace to Darfur, where more than half a million have died from violence and disease during four years of rebel discord. So to create awareness of the ongoing conflict, Amnesty International (with permission from Yoko Ono) has mined Lennon's solo work and rounded up nearly two dozen current artists to reinterpret the music, which spans the ex-Beatle's entire post-band catalog (plus a pair from while the Fab Four were still in business). As with any attempt to cover Beatles-related music, results are hit and miss, with kudos going to Snow Patrol and the Postal Service for capturing the starkness of "Isolation" and "Grow Old with Me," respectively, Mexican rock band Jaguares for uncovering the fear and fury in "Gimme Some Truth," and (surprise!) Christina Aguilera for nailing the complex composition and mood of "Mother." Other highlights include Jackson Browne's piano-led "Oh My Love," Green Day's louder straight take on "Working Class Hero," and the Black Eyed Peas turning "Power to the People" into a gospelly protest. Will resurrecting 30-to-40-year-old messages of peace and love be enough to help end the brutalities in Darfur? That remains to be seen. But selecting John Lennon as the author of those messages will make people listen and, with this collection, may keep them listening. --Scott Holter
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