Music Album Review

Double Fantasy: Stripped Down;  Four Stars
Reviewer: Michael Kitz

John Lennon and Yoko Ono's musical collaboration "Double Fantasy" was originally released on Nov. 17, 1980, just three weeks prior to Lennon's murder at the hands of Mark David Chapman. Following the tragedy, the album went on to win the Grammy award for "Best Album of the Year" in 1981, and in 1989, it was ranked #29 on "Rolling Stone" magazine's list of the 100 greatest album's of the 1980s.

Now, 30 years later, Yoko Ono has collaborated with co-producer Jack Douglas to bring us "Double Fantasy Stripped Down," the new remixed and re-mastered version of the album. All 14 original tracks have been "stripped down," which essentially means that many of the outdated and downright distracting studio effects and embellishments are gone. The second disc is unchanged aside from the tracks being generically re-mastered.
This was a great (and unexpected) idea to include both versions of the album because you can really get a sense of what “stripping down” a song does to that song.  Stripping down a song to its bare bones not only reveals the true heart of a piece (and thus, its base quality and craftsmanship) but brings to light the profound effect production has on a recorded piece.  Since each heart needs a body, the fleshing of a composition can influence its effect infinitely and on this two-for-one album that is made abundantly apparent.

Lennon and Ono's vocals are now more prominent and un-processed in each track, where they were somewhat buried and over-processed at times in the original mixes (It was well-known that John especially disliked the sound of his voice and was constantly seeking to alter it). It's amazing how much more organic and timeless the songs sound now that they have been remixed to a stage nearly resembling demos. Lennon's love for his wife is more present and believable then ever here, as most of his song's deal with being a husband and father, reinforcing his role as fearless pioneer in popular music subject matter.  Although at times it feels as though he is choosing inferior material (“Clean-up Time”) because of their meaning which is sensible to the concept (we’ll get to that in more detail later) but disappointing to single lovers (“Grow Old with Me”, one of his most touching compositions, was left off).
The liner notes are nice, but nothing really new is brought out by them. The one thing that becomes much clearer and coherent is the original "heart play" concept as explained in the notes. In interviews about the album, John and Yoko made reference to idea that the album was a dialogue between a husband and wife in play form, like a musical without much pure dialogue.  But the original album felt more like two separate artist sharing an album and was actually difficult to listen to as the differences between the two artists were so striking as to be almost at odds with each other.  This metamorphosis of DF has really made that original concept more apparent and more listenable.  The tracks are much more complimentary in this form and the story can actually be followed: The beginning of the album (with the exception of “(Just like) Starting Over”, which works as a great beginning in more ways than one) tends to be more focused on negative aspects of life/relationships, while after Sean is born (represented by “Beautiful Boy”) the songs become more positive, culminating in "Hard Times Are Over." Clearly much thought was given to the order of the songs and “Grow Old With Me”, had it been added, would have truly completed the album correctly.
That said, whether or not it works well as a “Heart Play” is another question up for debate.  But depth of meaning is certainly increased by this new version, so it is not simply a novelty for hard-core fans but a re-imagining of a great idea.

Although the stripped down album is clearer and feels more natural, the first half of the album is stronger on John's part, with brilliant remixed versions of "Just Like Starting Over," "I'm Losing You," “Watching the Wheels” (and even Lennon’s weakest track "Cleanup Time.") What makes these new versions work so well is strength of the vocals, which are allowed to breathe without being suffocated by needless studio excess. Also the instrumentation, such as the bass and guitars, are able to be appreciated now, which they so deserve to be.
The second half of the album proves to be less impressive, as Lennon's songs "Dear Yoko" and "Beautiful Boy," both great songs, don't shine much brighter than their original releases. "Woman" is the exception, as the new remix is astoundingly fresher than the previous recording, though the status the original version has achieved will not likely be overcome.

Unfortunately, Ono's songs fall far short of Lennon's both in songwriting and overall catchiness, but that was never her “bag” anyway.  While she stimulates the creativity of her husband, her inability to be influenced by him more does some harm to the prestige of the album.  Her first three songs, "Kiss Kiss Kiss," "Give Me Something," and "I'm Moving On" are nearly unbearably screechy (as we expect), even if improved indefinitely by the stripping, though the tunes themselves are not as bad as origionally experienced. However, Ono's last four songs are exceptionally moving, and it is here that we can finally hear the beauty and artistry, exalted by letting her husband’s brilliance affect her, that allows us to glimpse what John Lennon may have fell in love with. Songs like "Beautiful Boys" and "Every Man Has a Woman Who Loves Him" are what musical passion and discovery are all about; that and the fact that on the Stripped Down version the latter song is more of a duet (which the album sorely needed for its placement as a heart play) is a greater treat still. Being able to hear John on the chorus of Every Man.. was especially moving.

"Double Fantasy Stripped Down" is wonderful in parts, and certainly superior to the original in its aim as a concept album, but it is harder to say that it is better in all ways, such as the testament the original album is as a the final finished album John Lennon oversaw.  Because the tracks alternate between Lennon and Ono songs, there are times when the fluidity of the album is interrupted by the couple's need to create a "double fantasy," representative of their undying love, but certainly it is much more fluid than the origional. Ono may be proud that the album is still relevant today, 30 years later, and that with the remixes she has overseen she may have introduced the great songs written by her and her late husband to an entirely new generation of music lovers, as well as generations to come.