Mr. Jordan meet Mr. Lennon

Julian Lennon’s first album came with a lot of hype and expectations. He rose to the occasion.

Phil Ramone who produced Blondie, Billy Joel, Cyndi Lauper, Frank Sinatra and so many more produced “Valotte.” That album had Top 10 singles. The second album didn’t sell as well, but wasn’t a bomb. In an industry that believes that things only go up, the slower selling second album was a deal breaker for getting promotion.

Lennon took time away and wrote new songs. His best friend, Justin Clayton worked out arrangements.

Mr. Jordan came out in 1989. The first song, “Now You’re in Heaven,” had a heavy bass, reverb and fast guitars. Many said it was David Bowie-esque. It got airplay and did well on college radio charts. The flip side “Second Time,” is ballad. The guitars have a flamenco feel and his voice is restrained. This differs from the A-side in which his voice is full throated and deep.

According to Wikipedia, “I Get Up” was not a single, but Lennon does that song on Late Night with David Letterman in 1989. The song is fast and bouncy and a raggedy party.

“You’re the One” was the next single. It’s a casual adult contemporary song. The keyboards are like water trickling through the music. His voices rises and settles into the lyrics. It didn’t go anywhere. “Mother Mary” was another song that was a departure from “Too Late for Goodbyes” and even “Now You’re in Heaven.”

The album got good reviews, but it wasn’t the success that his first album was. The songs show growth as a writer. The arrangements are diverse. It wasn’t where America was musically at the time. In 1989, rap became big. Hair metal was in the final stages. This album should’ve been promoted as adult contemporary instead of modern rock. While Lennon was in his twenties age-wise, his writing was more mature.

The industry didn’t push this like his earlier work.

He wasn’t the son of a Beatle anymore. He came into his own, but he is still finding what that could mean. The range shows that he is capable, but the industry wants reliable and consistency.

Australia became the biggest market for his work.

Ignore the time it came out and come for the tunes.