"Walls and Bridges" (1974) captures the essence of John Lennon better than any of his solo efforts, with the exception of "Imagine." The harshness of "Plastic Ono Band" still can be found in memorable tracks such as "Steel and Glass" and "Nobody Loves You When You're Down and Out" - two of Lennon's most underrated songs. The CD also features the hit singles "Whatever Gets You Through the Night" and "#9 Dream," which showcase Lennon's mastery of popular-music composition. Other surprises include John's collaboration with Harry Nilsson, "Old Dirt Road," and a funky instrumental titled "Beef Jerky." For years, music critics have considered "Walls and Bridges" a water-treading work from an artist in decline. Nothing could be further from the truth. Unlike "Mind Games" and "Double Fantasy," this integral Lennon recording has stood the test of time.

Most critics seem to agree that "Walls and Bridges" is Lennon's second weakest album, right after "Sometime In New York City." It's been criticized as being unfocused and having filler. Although most critics will grant that the album does have some redeeming qualities and a few good songs. I strongly disagree with what most critics say about this album. In my opinion, "Wall and Bridges" stands alongside "Plastic Ono Band," and "Imagine" as being some of the best music Lennon ever recorded. I would even put "Walls and Bridges" right alongside Led Zeppelin's "Zoso" and Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" as one of the best albums of the 1970s. This album does have its flaws. There is some filler, the production is a bit stuffy and it sounds a bit dated. However, I find that these flaws enhance its overall charm.

John Lennon's music has often been autobiographical. This album shows that as much as any other album he recorded. At the time, Lennon was a man in pain. He was separated from Yoko and unsure of what to do or where he wanted to go. He indulged in drinking and heavy partying in the infamous "Lost Weekend." This album is not a catharsis of raw emotion like "The Plastic Ono Band." This album is more like a diary from a dark period in a mans life. It's not so much a cry for help, but more of an album of resignation and defeat.

The album opens with "Down On Love" a mid-tempo song about falling to pieces. In his delivery, Lennon sounds as though he is pleading for help, but he also sounds dejected. "Whatever Get You Through the Night" is one of Lennon's biggest solo hits. A great catchy duet with Elton John. "Old Dirt Road" is a beautiful balled about being lost. "What you Got" is not one of the album's strongest tracks. It's just a sort of sloppy rocker, but it adds to the album's overall charm. "Bless You" another beautiful balled in the vein of "Imagine." "Scared" is a cool mid-tempo song whose meaning is self-explanatory. But in his singing, the song sounds as though Lennon really is scared--it sounds lived in. When he's yelling that he's scared, you can feel the mans torment. "Scared" runs perfectly into "#-9 Dream" a lush, pop-savvy mid-tempo rocker with cool cellos. "Surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradise)" is another filler song--not great, not bad--just filler. The album would have been slightly better without its inclusion. "Steel and Glass" is the follow-up to "How Do You Sleep at Night." The contrast of it's raw, angry delivery with the lush music sounds great and enhances the song. "Beef Jerky" is a cool jam instrumental. "Nobody Loves You (When Your Down and Out)" is a depressing song about looking at life straight in the eye when you are lonely and dejected. "Ya Ya" is a filler sound byte, with Lennon's son, Julian on drums. It's a cool way to end the album.

This is a very high-energy album, loaded with killer songs from start to finish. Many of them reflect what John was going through during the Lost Weekend, including a few songs about how much he missed Yoko. There are rockers like "What You Got," songs that are just fun to listen to, like "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night," softer songs like "Old Dirt Road," and contemplative songs like "Nobody Loves You (When You're Down and Out)." The two best-known songs on here are "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night" and "#9 Dream"; the latter song John later dimissed as "a piece of garbage I had around." The album would be 100% perfect if it weren't for "Ya-Ya," which really kills the mood set by "Nobody Loves You." That was the perfect closing track, but John had to cover "Ya-Ya" so that the copyright owner would get royalties from a settlement on the songs he would release on the 'Rock and Roll' album. For revenge, John made it the last song on this album, as well as the worst and shortest. The only redeeming thing about it is that his son Julian is also playing on it, a really sweet moment between parent and child.

My faves are "Nobody Loves You," "Going Down on Love," "#9 Dream," "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night," "Bless You," and "Steel and Glass" (an attack on Allen Klein which John later said didn't work the way he'd wanted it to). It might not be praised as highly or consistently as POB or 'Imagine,' but the songs on here are just as well-crafted, great, and brutally honest and soul-searching.

But in a good way, if you know what I mean. This album was made when John had broke up from Yoko, and had went off with May Pang (Avoid her horrible book at all costs) to L.A, where he hung out with several musicians including Who drummer Keith Moon, and Elton John. In fact, Elton John had a big impact on this album, in addition to backup vocals and piano on Whatever Gets You Thru The Night. John had originally envisioned the album more as an acoustic Dylan-type offering until Elton John came in and suggested to make it a more upbeat, almost disco-ey type of album.

The opening track, Going Down On Love, has a brilliant sound to it and is one of John's more underrated songs. The next song is Whatever Gets You Thru The Night, which was John's first number one single. It's a fun song, but it's hardly one of his best. Old Dirt Road, which is the next song, is a beautiful, quiet piece. What You Got goes back to that disco feel once again, and is one of my favorite songs on the album. The next two songs, Bless You and Scared, are two of John's lesser known songs and I wouldn't listen to them unless I was listening to the album as a whole, but they're still good songs. #9 Dream is probably the best song on the album, and is a love song to the number 9, to put it in a weird way. It's a great song, and definitely the most playable on the album. The next song Surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradox) is another of the lesser known ones on the album, and not one of John's best. Once again, I would probably only listen to it if I was listening to the album as a whole. Steel and Glass, however, is another great song, it's a hate letter to Allen Klein (although John later said he wrote it about himself, but I get the feel he was just trying to play down the hatred), and is very reminiscent of How Do You Sleep? on the Imagine album. Beef Jerky is a forgettable instrumental, but Nobody Loves You (When You're Down and Out) is another great song, and finally the album is capped off with Ya Ya, a cover of an old rock song, with John's son Julian on drums. It's not really a proper song, just a little bit of fun they had in the studio, but it's nice to have anyway.

John always said he was in pain when he made this album. Split up from Yoko, essentially an alcoholic, it's an album where you feel the pain that he was going through, but it's still a very memorable album, and one worth picking up.

This album is a return to the Lennon we know and love-the Lennon of the Beatles who had a sense of humor, wrote good melodies and sang with some real passion. The sad lyrics are negated by the uplifting melodies and sincere singing. Something that John's overated Plastic Ono Band and Imagine really lack. John was going through rough times when he recorded this album, yet the album feels like he was trying to smile through his misery. This is the opposite of his first 2 albums where he was merely venting joylessly("Working Class Hero","Gimme Some Truth") ,whining("How"), and overall, feeling SOOO sorry for himself. The opening guitar riffs on "Sweet Bird Of Paradise" are much less stiff than say on Imagine's "How do you Sleep?". "Nobody Loves You(When you're Down and Out)" contains some of John's most heartfelt singing. "Going Down On Love" is one catchy number. The danceable "Whatever Get's through The Night" finds John getting more laid back and philosphical. "Steel Glass" is like a son of "How Do You Sleep?" but it's better tune and John's singing is more assured. All in all, this is one of John's best solo albums and deserves to be remastered.