Another Record Store Day 7″, JOHN LENNON’s “Instant Karma!” b/w YOKO ONO’s “Who Has Seen the Wind?” is not exactly a reissue of the original 1971 single. This time it’s a pairing of 2020* remixes of the songs, in line with the 2019 remix of Lennon’s Imagine album (also recorded in ’71). Apparently held over from that release – after all, RSD was supposed to be in April – as a reminder about the availability of the aforementioned remix LP (these tracks aren’t on it or any of the box set versions), this 45 is housed in a similar “picture” sleeve and dons near-identical Apple labels and the original UK catalog number. (The lengthy, modern UPC barcode and catalog number are, of course, unique to this release and thankfully printed only on the outside hype sticker.) This “ultimate mix” of “Instant Karma!” isn’t that different from the original, though it does seem to make the individual instruments stand out on their own a little better, with Klaus Voormann’s bass and Alan White’s drums a bit tighter. Back then, Lennon, Ono and co-producer Phil Spector went for a much denser, Wall of Sound-esque mix than what we’d consider good today. Still, if you’re not intimately familiar with the original you really have to squint to hear the difference between the ’71 and ’20 mixes.
As for Ono’s “Who Has Seen the Wind?,” I am honestly not familiar enough with it to hear the differences between the original and today’s remix to weigh in. Sorry, Yoko! I’d certainly heard the song before (I have an original pressing of the single), but was never as interested in repeat listenings of it as I was of the A-side, which is not only a stone cold classic but was also a worldwide hit and has appeared on numerous Lennon compilation albums over the last fifty years. But I can tell you this: these 2020 remixes are for the hardcore fan (as you’d basically expect) and not the casual listener. This trend of remixing classics is getting a bit tedious, really. I mean, especially in the case of something like “Karma,” which suffered a bit from a crummy mix, why not really go for it and do something radically different? Or at least noticeably different?! – Marsh Gooch
2.5/5 (Apple/Calderstone APPLES 1003/602508778711, 2020)
* Chances are these remixes were actually done in 2019 during the same sessions as the Imagine remixes.
NOTE: The above video is, of course, of the original 1971 mix.
It’s kind of wonderful, this worldwide wankfest over a 50 year old rock ’n’ roll album. All kinds of people, everywhere, getting all hot ’n’ bothered over THE BEATLES’ Abbey Road, the last album they recorded together but the penultimate release during their actual time together as The Fab Four. The cynical among us probably consider it another greedy cash grab, the romantic might think it’s a real sweet thing, and I’ve heard there are even those among us who don’t care! Whatever, I’m devoting some column inches to it (as they would’ve said in ’69), so I must care.
In terms of formats, well of course there are more than you can shake a stick at. You can get Abbey Road on single LP, double LP, picture disc LP, single CD (which is what I’m basing this post on), double CD, or the 3 LP and 3 CD/1 Bluray box sets (coming in the mail later this week!). As I’ve said in the past, what’s gonna work for you is largely a function of how big a fan you are. Take the guy on the left in the photo at left: he’s probably not going to get any of these, but was nice enough to play John Lennon to my McCartney (I couldn’t be bothered to take my shoes off, though) when we entered a Seattle area record store yesterday to pay our respects. But (his sister) Shirley there must be an edition that will work for you, so I suggest you get on down to Abbey Road at your earliest convenience and see what son Giles has done to dad George’s recording of The Beatles’s first or second greatest moment. — Marsh Gooch
NuDisc 