John LennonWorking Class HeroReview

Not only would John Lennon have turned 65 this year, but it's also the 25th anniversary of the day that the man known as Dr Winston O'Boogie had his return to the music world cruelly curtailed. Hence Working Class Hero.

Any anthology of Lennon's work draws comparisons with his songwriting partner. Whereas Macca can be hailed as the keeper of the pop flame, hitting the singles charts with unerring accuracy for at least 20 years after the Beatles' demise, John was always more of an albums man -perhaps (inaccurately) leading to his perception as the serious Beatle. The fact was that John loved the three-minute thrill of rock 'n' roll just as much as Paul. But a compilation like this doesn't quite gel.

Yes, we all need to own copies of ''#9 Dream'', ''Instant Karma'' and ''Mind Games'', but to really appreciate Lennon's contribution to modern music you'd be better off avoiding this lazier route. Why not invest in copies of Plastic Ono Band, and Imagine instead? It's a more rewarding journey...