Photograph Smile is one of the most pleasant surprises in recent memory.
Back in the mid-Õ80s, when 21-year-old Julian Lennon first appeared in the musical spotlight, he seemed an embarrassment who ultimately turned into a joke. Or at the very least, it was "Pure Julian..." Even his big hit, "Too Late For Goodbyes," was annoying, thanks to a line ("Sittin' on a pebble by the river") that seemed a parody of his late 'n' great dad. And, of course, it would be a hard legacy knowing that you'd ultimately inspired the BeatlesÕ "Hey, Jude" and "Lucy In The Sky (With Diamonds)."
During a seven-year hiatus from the music biz, Julian has obviously come to terms with his past as John LennonÕs firstborn. He jumps into his Beatlesque legacy head first on this highly listenable album, which is startling at first, and then rewarding. In the process, he reels off a pop classic or two of his own.
"Day After Day," the first single, kicks it off with sheer Lennon (the elder)-esque bliss; pure pop, it could pass as an outtake from dad's recent box set. "Ah, hah!" you might say; however, this tune lists a co-songwriter (and perhaps thatÕs who adds the fab-four flair...). But then you hear the solely-Julian-composed "How Many Times," which is another great pop song; its "Instant Karma" production is perhaps even better than the single!
Elsewhere, you get this Lennon's idea of pop weirdness--"Cold" ("I've read the headlines..." it begins), "I Should Have Known"...you may notice that even the titles seem Beatle-connected. "Day After Day," for instance, was a Badfinger hit--and perhaps the coolest thing about this album is that for every "Oh, Yoko!" piano fill or "I Am The Walrus" psychedelic symphony ("Crucifixion"), there are George Harrison guitar licks (the intro to "And She Cries" is uncanny), some sitar, and a McCartney-like piano. LetÕs just say that Julian certainly knows the definition of "Beatlesque." But the best thing is his music--and it's mostly good.
