In The Beatles solo career measuring contest, Plastic Ono Band tops McCartney—though Beatle Paul rather sneakily dropped the breakup bomb and released his first. Director Peter Jackson’s Get Back reveals Lennon as far more of a goofball than a sage, but this album runs deep with nary a false note. “God” turns the page on The Beatles. “Mother” and “My Mummy’s Dead” are pitch perfect as the therapeutic opener and closer of the album. Powered by Lennon’s piano, “Love” and “Isolation” are primo low-fi emo rock. Lennon wasn’t the genius of The Beatles, but judging the Lennon and McCartney solo albums right after the split, one might be inclined to think so.

– Miles Marshall Lewis