Is it me, or is Mind Games Lennon's blandest album?

What say you?

 

I like the title track, Out The Blue and maybe one other. The rest is distinctly average at best IMO.

 

Maybe, but I still like Mind Games more than a few other Lennon albums, such as SINYC, Double Fantasy, Rock and Roll, and, yes, even Walls In Bridges.

I think Mind Games has its fair share of good, catchy material. IMHO the problem is the production, and possibly even the session musicians who played on the album. With a different approach I think some of the songs would come alive. As it is, the sound/playing is a bit sterile and lifeless. It’s not bad but it could be better.

 

Some nice melodies, but it is bland..except for 'Meat City'.

 

I like the album, though it isn't one of
my favourites by John. The only tracks
I don't care much for are One Day At A Time and Intuition. If I have any criticism about the album in general it would be that is too laid back. John did at times write in his "sleepy" mood - the first example of this is the song I'm Only Sleeping, where he takes it to the extreme by putting actual yawns on the track. It's nothing wrong with the tracks on Mind Games in themselves, but perhaps there are too many to place on one album.
He needed to throw in a few more rockers.

 

I dismissed it for years - then in my late 30s I suddenly got it. Now I go to it more than any other Lennon album. I don't find it the least bit bland, it just took years to reveal itself to me.

 

It has some filler but it does also have some strong material. At the very least it’s better than its predecessor.

 

After POB, Mind Games is the Lennon album I listen to most. Always enjoyed it.

 

He did gain something with age. It would have been great to hear what he would have done had he gotten even older.

 

But the song? My absolute favorite of his...the perfect balance between his early stuff and his later stuff...that chorus still sends chills down my spine

 

And the album is 50/50...better than Sometime In NYC, Rock N' Roll, and Double Fantasy, but not as good as POB, Imagine or Walls and Bridges. But Mind Games and Walls and Bridges to me are the "adult" Lennon and are so different from the early albums as to be way different (Double Fantasy is the way-too-adult Lennon and mostly bores me)...

Walls and Bridges is my favorite Lennon album

 

....The sounds of a sick man (I know, I know and Title track aside)

 

Mind Games is-imo-a very enjoyable album.
Liked it when it arrived and still do.

 

Those are the two least favorites of mine as well on Mind Games.


People might complain about the Specter style of production on the album, but I wouldn't call it bland at all. I think it sounds kind of warm, myself. I think there's a new mix, and I don't own it, nor feel any hunger for it. The Double Fantasy era stuff, while having great songs, to me sounds pretty sterile, or bland if it's the term you prefer.

 

There are too many clunkers for me. Three songs in on side 1 and I'm digging it. Suddenly it's two truly awful tracks in a row. On side 2 I'm playing hopscotch with my tonearm.

That being said, I still love hearing any Beatle project from the '70s. Even when it's spotty, I can get easily fascinated by the album at hand.

 

It has a few good tunes but mainly just sits there in a comfy MOR chair.
I would agree that main problem are the slick production and anonymous band.
Cut a few tunes and remove a layer of overdubs and it's probably a fine album.

 

Not quite: Double Fantasy (if you can call it 'his') is blander.

 

He never made a great album, IMO... Imagine comes closest. I’ve no real problem with Mind Games. It holds together pretty well. I like Double Fantasy too. I prefer some of Yoko’s stuff to John’s on that.

 

I love John Lennon. With the Beatles. Solo. One of THE best voices in rock 'n' roll.
But for the life of me, I cannot understand the love for the song "Mind Games".
The most dreary, dirge-like cliche peace love and hippie whatever garbage ever from this great artist.
The album only suffers from too much of the same. Also not a fan of "Bring On The Lucie". And "One Day At a Time" a little too cutesy, poppy.
The rest above average if not great songs with a little more coffee at the sessions or something. Someone mentioned the lazy mode John.
Take the best halves of this album and "Walls and Bridges" and you have a classic.
And as much as it was a groundbreaking statement and honest and naked and confrontational (it earns it's status as a great album", "Plastic Ono Band" rarely gets played
except for "Remember" and "Love".
We can be the most critical of the ones we love the most, because we know they were/are capable of so much more!
Hell, I will take "Revolution #9" on repeat mode over "Mind Games" any day of the week. Maybe I am being a bit too harsh. Maybe with some genre bending production or something, but ...nah.

Mind Games
written by John Lennon

We're playing those mind games together
Pushing the barriers planting seeds
Playing the mind guerrilla
Chanting the Mantra peace on earth
We all been playing those mind games forever
Some kinda druid dudes lifting the veil
Doing the mind guerrilla
Some call it magic the search for the grail
Love is the answer and you know that for sure
Love is a flower
You got to let it, you gotta let it grow
So keep on playing those mind games together
Faith in the future out of the now
You just can't beat on those mind guerrillas
Absolute elsewhere in the stones of your mind
Yeah we're playing those mind games forever
Projecting our images in space and in time
Yes is the answer and you know that for sure
Yes is surrender
You got to let it, you gotta let it go
So keep on playing those mind games together
Doing the ritual dance in the sun
Millions of mind guerrillas
Putting their soul power to the karmic wheel
Keep on playing those mind games forever
Raising the spirit of peace and love

Songwriters: John Lennon
Mind Games lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing

 

Title track is Lennon's best solo track, think the recent remix has done the album wonders.
Out the Blue and Freeda are strong efforts too.
Middle tier Lennon, but far better then his worst.
The only clunker for all its good intentions is SINYC

 

These are pretty close to my sentiments
as well, and as far as Double Fantasy goes
too. Interestingly, I have thought since
having heard DF and subsequently returning
to the Mind Games LP, that those two tracks
- One Day At A Time and Intuition -
serve in a way as precursors of, or
perhaps another way of saying it - small
windows into the sort of songwriting
style that appeared in 1980.

Walls And Bridges then would be the last
time we'd hear "Beatle John" ..
.. on # 9 Dream.

 

You can say the same about Walrus, but both massive tunes.

 

Do you mean massive sales? "I Am the Walrus" was self admitted nonsense! Or written for the purpose of those trying to find meaning in places where there wasn't.
Walrus had style, wit, humor and imagination in spades. How you can compare the two is beyond me.
Mind Games barely has a melody...., it just drones on .... maybe a guitar solo or something could have taken it up a notch, but I just don't see the appeal and never have.
And I LOVE JOHN LENNON!
Just to be clear!

 

It is my favourite solo Lennon album after POB and Imagine. Agree that production could have been better and the musicians seem lacking in enthusiasm. I recall Lennon describing it as the work of a semi sick craftsman, so he was not entirly happy. The remark my have something to do with his impending break with Yoko.

 

Bland and boring