Well it’s taken me a long time but today I’m finally going to give my thoughts on the new John Lennon “Mind Games” reissue that came out in the middle of this month.

Usually it doesn’t take me this long but I’m getting older and it’s getting harder to squeeze in music listening time!

In my last post I took a look at the lovely CD sampler of the large “Mind Games” box set that was recently released by Uncut Magazine which I enjoyed very much. That review came out about ten days before the large box set and 2 CD version and I was bound and determined to only buy the 2 CD set on release day.

Well, as is usually the case, I half-way caved. I did indeed buy the 2 CD version of the “Mind Games” reissue (as pictured on this page) BUT I did happen to also get my hands on the full audio (minus the hidden tracks unfortunately) from the larger 6 CD/2 Blu-Ray set.

And the unusual part, for me anyway, was that I purchased the entire “Mind Games” box set audio in Mp3 format from Amazon.

Yikes, I know – digital only!

This blog celebrates physical media and I almost always buy the physical version but as the large box set was over $150 I thought I’d get the audio at a fraction of the cost (under $40) and if someday I run into a used set under $100 I might well get it but for now this solution works just fine for me.

Now what made me go this unusual route?

I ended up sampling more of the Evolution mixes online and REALLY enjoyed them. I have the main remix and the out-takes on the 2 CD set (plus a sampling of other mixes on the Uncut CD) so why not at least have all the audio and take my time to see how all these new mixes sound?

Here are my thoughts below:

The 2 CD set:

I must say I really enjoy the remix of the “Mind Games” album and while it still is a bit too loud it’s much better than previous John Lennon remixes and really enhances the songs on this album.

There is a lot of bass and at times it does tend to muddy up the sound a bit but I found that I actually enjoyed this remix a lot and can say that it’s my favorite of the Lennon remixes so far.

I also think that the out-takes are wonderful too and I love having an alternate version of the album to listen to as it gives these songs a fresh new light as I think that some of the production of the original mix may have gotten in the way of some really good songs that now shine a bit more.

The audio from the 6 CD/Blu-Ray set:

Game changer; these discs really enhance the album in a way I wasn’t expecting.

Now here’s the really strange thing, I really didn’t think that all these new remixes and stripped-down versions would be worth my time, I truly didn’t.

The surprising thing to me is that I’ve actually found that the new Evolution and Raw mixes in this set are some of the best things that have come out of the Lennon archive ever! Trust me I was pleasantly surprised. The more I dove into the larger audio pool the more I was enthralled.

The Raw mixes especially took me by surprise as I love the sound of these songs in a more stripped-down form. Songs like “One Day (At a Time)”, “Out the Blue”, “Aisumasen (I’m Sorry)” and “I Know (I Know)”, all of which I took years to warm to, take on new life with these raw mixes.

I’ve read other people online say the same thing but it’s true that while I respect John Lennon’s original mix and it does hold a special place in my heart, the “Mind Games” album in this raw form is a MUCH better listen and these songs sound far superior in this form and mostly better than the original album.

(Note: I do prefer the original “Mind Games”, the song, mix as it just shines. So that song still works best for me in its 1973 form)

The Evolution disc is also superb as well. I LOVE hearing the various stages of the songs from demos to later studio takes and the studio chatter is what I really look forward to in a box set like this.

Other people have said it more eloquently but I have to agree that this new “Mind Games” reissue is well worth your time if your any kind of fan of John Lennon’s work. And while I as a super Beatles fan didn’t buy the large physical set trust me it’s well worth looking for online and streaming at least the raw studio mixes of this album to hear what a good set of songs this collection truly is.

In fact, until a few years ago I really stepped over this album as most of the songs seemed light and kind of forgettable. It was only after hearing “You Are Here” by itself one day and really loving it that I decided I needed to take this album off the shelf again and give it another try.

This new reissue set has really bumped up my love of this album to another level and I now think it and the “Walls and Bridges” album are my two favorite Lennon solo albums by far.

Conclusion:

I have to say that while I still prefer the physical versions of owning my favorite music, having the download of the audio from the larger set on a usb stick playing in my car has allowed me to really get myself deeper into these new mixes in small chunks and let them do their magic.

While I didn’t particularly find the Elements and Elemental mixes that enticing on the Uncut sampler CD they were kind of intoxicating to listen to on my 25-minute drive to and from work. Now that I’ve experienced them this way I have to say they are a lot of fun and I am so glad that Sean Lennon, who put this set together, really took the time to show these songs in a different light.

I’m not usually so stubborn to give mixes a chance so I’m glad I bit the bullet and have these lovely new mixes to add to my appreciation of the “Mind Games” album.

Of course I could have just streamed this set online only but the physical nerd in me just had to own something so download it is!

Well, there you have it. Just my two cents on this really fine new collection of remixes of John Lennon’s “Mind Games” album.

As usual take a gander at the photos of the 2 CD set and until next time be well and see you soon and more to come!