In the weeks after the World Trade Center attacks in September 2001, a tribute concert was broadcast featuring current artists performing the songs of John Lennon (available from our library). Sean Lennon, son of John and Yoko, performed Beatles classics “Across the Universe,” and “Julia,” but he stole the show when he laid into John’s solo part in the early Beatles song “This Boy.” For a moment – and the shouts from the audience bore this out – John Lennon’s spirit visited New York City again in its time of deepest need in the voice of his son.

It’s difficult to hear Sean Lennon’s 2006 album Friendly Fire without comparing his music and singing style to John Lennon’s. Watching the companion DVD, which is essentially a music video version of the album, compounds this feeling as it shows the thirtysomething Sean Lennon looking eerily like his twentysomething father did in the Beatles’ heyday. Having gotten the obvious comparisons over with, Friendly Fire stands on its own as a creative set of progressive rock songs, comparable to late-1990s Radiohead, though much sweeter in tone.

The album’s songs range from mellow ballads like “Dead Meat” and the title track, “Friendly Fire,” to psychedelic (but quite melodic) rock explorations like “Headlights” and “Would I Be the One,” a cover of a song written by the late Marc Bolan of T-Rex. Overall, the catchy and memorable melodies and lush harmonies make Friendly Fire a must-have for music fans.

But what really makes Friendly Fire what it is is the companion DVD. Lennon, who worked with one of his high school friends who is a filmmaker, employs the lost art of the music video to great effect. Standouts in this regard include “Spectacle” and “Headlights,” which the viewer could easily imagine as products of 1980s MTV (in a good way). The music videos are interspersed with vignettes including a movie line conversation reminiscent of Woody Allen and Diane Keaton in Annie Hall. Using actors and friends such as Harper Simon (son of Paul Simon) and Lindsay Lohan, Lennon’s films elevate the already very good music to a true art form that engages, entertains, and amuses the viewer. Check it out.

Here’s a link to clips of the DVD on You Tube.

And Sean Lennon’s official web site: www.seanonolennon.com.

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