Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band
Yoko Ono · 1970
65 min · 9 tracks · alternative rock
Avant-garde experimentation intertwines with raw emotional expression, creating an audacious blend of sound and sentiment.
Top tracks — play these first
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Why Start here — This opening track showcases Ono's distinctive vocal style and confrontational lyrics, immediately establishing the album's tone of vulnerability and challenge.
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Greenfield Morning I Pushed an Empty Baby Carriage All Over the City — In this track, the juxtaposition of serene imagery against dissonant sounds encapsulates the album’s themes of loss and existential inquiry.
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Open Your Box — This provocative piece combines rhythmic dynamics with explicit lyrical content, pushing boundaries and challenging societal norms around sexuality and expression.
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The South Wind — A sprawling composition that reflects Ono's experimental ethos, it builds an immersive atmosphere that invites introspection and emotional connection.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album's avant-garde approach and emotional rawness create a distinctive sound that challenges listeners.
What we noticed
- The album opens with a track that features dissonant vocalizations and unconventional instrumentation, setting a challenging tone from the start.
- The lyrics often blend stream-of-consciousness poetry with stark imagery, demanding active engagement from the listener to unpack their meaning.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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6/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- back-loaded emotional exploration
- patiently unfolding introspective moments
- immersive late-night listening experience
- cathartic release through vulnerability
Maybe skip if you
- prefer immediate gratification
- seek catchy, radio-friendly tracks
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Breakthrough — Established her reputation as a solo artist and avant-garde musician.
- Themes
- New York avant-garde· sexual liberation· emotional confrontation
- Moods
- Cathartic· Introspective
- Career context
- Released on December 11, 1970, Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band was Ono's debut solo album following her marriage to John Lennon. At this point in her career, she was transitioning from the experimental art scene into mainstream music, marking a significant shift as she sought to establish her individual artistic identity apart from Lennon's influence.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Laurie Anderson· Stereolab· Animal Collective
Tracklist
- 1 Why Start here 5:37
- 2 Why Not 9:55
- 3 Greenfield Morning I Pushed an Empty Baby Carriage All Over the City 5:39
- 4 AOS 7:07
- 5 Touch Me 4:41
- 6 Paper Shoes 7:30
- 7 Open Your Box 7:37
- 8 “Something More Abstract” 0:47
- 9 The South Wind 16:38
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
The Man Who Sold the World
David Bowie
Shares avant-garde experimentation and emotional confrontation in a raw rock format.
Transformer
Lou Reed
Explores themes of sexual liberation and emotional honesty with a similar New York edge.
Horses
Patti Smith
Combines punk energy with poetic introspection, echoing the same avant-garde spirit.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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