John Lennon – Mind Games (1973/2014) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

John Lennon’s Mind Games was recorded and released in 1973. The album was Lennon’s first self-produced album and although it was initially poorly-received by critics, it was eventually met with favorable reviews. Mind Games reached #13 on the UK charts and #9 in the US, where it was also certified gold. Lennon wrote all of the songs for the album in one week, and the album was recorded in July and August of 1973.
This digital remaster of Mind Games was transferred from Protools 192 kHz (Prism AD8) into an analogue EMI TG12410 desk, into Sadie at 96kHz/24bit.

After the hostile reaction to the politically charged Some Time in New York City, John Lennon moved away from explicit protest songs and returned to introspective songwriting with Mind Games. Lennon didn’t leave politics behind — he just tempered his opinions with humor on songs like “Bring on the Lucie (Freda Peeple),” which happened to undercut the intention of the song. It also indicated the confusion that lies at the heart of the album. Lennon doesn’t know which way to go, so he tries everything. There are lovely ballads like “Out of the Blue” and “One Day (At a Time),” forced, ham-fisted rockers like “Meat City” and “Tight A$,” sweeping Spector-esque pop on “Mind Games,” and many midtempo, indistinguishable pop/rockers. While the best numbers are among Lennon’s finest, there’s only a handful of them, and the remainder of the record is simply pleasant. But compared to Some Time in New York City, as well as the subsequent Walls and Bridges, Mind Games sounded like a return to form. –Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Tracklist:

01. John Lennon – Mind Games (04:12)
02. John Lennon – Tight A$ (03:39)
03. John Lennon – Aisumasen (I’m Sorry) (04:45)
04. John Lennon – One Day (At A Time) (03:10)
05. John Lennon – Bring On The Lucie (Freda Peeple) (04:12)
06. John Lennon – Nutopian International Anthem (00:04)
07. John Lennon – Intuition (03:10)
08. John Lennon – Out The Blue (03:22)
09. John Lennon – Only People (03:28)
10. John Lennon – I Know (I Know) (03:50)
11. John Lennon – You Are Here (04:12)
12. John Lennon – Meat City (02:51)