Hmmm… Moral dilemma. I usually give tribute and charity efforts a wide berth, not being able to recall a single one that I have enjoyed on its own musical merits – with the lifeless Sgt. Pepper reworking a recent case in point. If you have been moved by the tragic events in Darfur then donate for that reason alone, and may this piece bring those horrors to the attention of just a few more people. For a little incentive, you may find something of interest here – tracks are available to purchase separately by download, and that may be the best way to approach this curate’s egg of a double CD release. I decided that all I can do is try to be objective about the music. Amnesty International were granted the rights to Lennon’s songbook by Yoko Ono some time ago, and a wide variety of artists have been assembled – something for all demographics. As a confirmed Beatles nut, I have always liked Lennon – more for the acerbic wit, painful honesty and rock’n’roll vocals (e.g. the early gem Baby It’s You) than his solo efforts, but it would be hard to find more bitterly powerful songs than Mother, God, and Working Class Hero. Who would dare tackle them?

Promo headlines feature heavyweights U2 and R.E.M., and completists may want to secure their contributions for their collections. U2’s Instant Karma is decent lively opener, as good as anything they’ve done in the last few years – if you know what I mean. Original R.E.M. drummer Bill Berry is back for the first time since 1997 on No. 9 Dream. It’s OK – there’s jangling guitars, I can imagine Mr. Stipe doing his slinky little moves, but when I say it only beats the A-Ha version on the second CD by a short head, you know everything you need to know. The Cure contribute a typically disembodied version of Love. My top pick is, in fact, ageing rockers Aerosmith ft. the Refugee Allstars. Steve Tyler is screaming over a reggaefied version of the Give Peace A Chance chant, dueling with original rapping lyrics in a manner reminiscent of the set-to with Run DMC on the classic Walk With Me (where my interest in rap just about began and ended by the way, give or take a bit of NWA). The backbeat is virtually identical. Credit for mixing it up a bit and just having some fun. A full length touch of real African magic comes from Youssou N’Dour with Jealous Guy. Hard to touch the original, but his distinct voice and instrumentation adds variety to the album. The same can be said for Regina Spektor connecting with Real Love in her own particular vocal/piano style. Jackson Browne’s version of Oh My Love is beautifully bare, and possibly the most memorable performance in this collection.

Much more left-field, and all the more welcome for it, Danish alt-rock group The Raveonettes give a spooky personal interpretation of One Day At A Time – sounding like the soundtrack to a B-movie montage of a demented bunny-boiler cutting up photos of the object of her spurned affection for a collage at a bedroom shrine. Indie fans might also go for the subdued electropop of The Postal Service’s Grow Old With Me. The Flaming Lips struggle through (Just Like) Starting Over - I couldn’t get past the very ragged Wayne Coyne vocal – some confetti stuck in the throat there Wayne? Nobody Told Me by Big & Rich is a throwaway but pleasant romp, though a quick internet search revealed them as some kind of country stoner band, and anyone in a black cowboy hat these days is just bad for music, so I wish I hadn’t mentioned them. See what I mean about wide variety of artists? Snow Patrol’s Isolation is a worthy cover, capturing some atmosphere and of note for being minus their ‘big guitar’ sound. The remainder are either unremarkable or only of mild interest because of the artist involved or for being so wrong. Avril Lavigne’s Imagine and Duran Duran’s Instant Karma vie with each other to give a new textbook definition of bland. Artists may be giving up their time, but a bit of effort and emotional commitment might help. I grudgingly have to give a mention to Christine Aguilera (that must be a first for TLOBF) – the pocket popster takes on the daunting Mother and actually just about emerges unscathed, only finally succumbing to the ‘look at me’ vocal gymnastics that divas these days substitute for ‘feeling’. And if you were interested, Green Day provided a by the numbers version of Working Class Hero. They said ‘fuck’ – that means they really must be rebels. Don’t like them. Not going to talk about them any more.

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Links
Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfour [official site]