John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band Power To The People [Box Set]

Critic's Take

Peter Watts writes with brisk, forensic clarity about John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band's Power To The People [Box Set], singling out the live One To One material and the Evolution mixes as the set's real rewards. He praises how “New York City” is repositioned and extended, and how songs such as “Born In A Prison” emerge as among the album's strongest moments. Watts treats the home demos with affection too, calling the Phil Ochs accompaniments quiet, essential highlights. The narrative is frank about the excision of the controversial track, but ultimately frames the box as a richly annotated, sometimes revelatory document for Lennon fans seeking the best tracks on Power To The People [Box Set].

Key Points

• The best song moments come from extended live takes and the Evolution mixes, notably the repositioned and extended "New York City".
• The box succeeds by contextualising Lennon in New York, privileging raw live energy, archival demos, and explicit political themes.

Themes

Critic's Take

John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band are presented here in exhaustive detail on Power To The People [Box Set], but David Quantick refuses simple nostalgia and flags what really matters: the live Elephant's Memory shows are uneven while the demos emerge as the set's most intriguing assets. He rails at the politicised songs and even names the failures - he singles out Some Time In New York City as largely terrible - yet credits moments like “Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)” (live) and the rarer demos for redeeming the box. For listeners asking what the best songs on Power To The People [Box Set] are, the review points you toward the live highlights and the demos rather than the bloated original album. The verdict reads as a recommendation for historians and completists, not casual fans seeking consistent musical quality.

Key Points

• The demos are the set's real revelation and are singled out as the best material.
• The box's strength is archival breadth and live moments, but the politicised original album tracks often underwhelm.

Themes

Critic's Take

Rob Sheffield frames John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band’s Power To The People [Box Set] as a vivid New York portrait that highlights the best songs, especially “New York City” and live standouts like “Mother” and “Hound Dog”. He celebrates how the box set foregrounds the One to One concerts, where raw, nervous vocals and Elephant’s Memory’s sweaty backing turn tracks into thrilling moments - this is exactly where the best tracks on Power To The People [Box Set] live. The review praises the live versions for their urgency and the hotel demos for fragile charm, making clear why listeners searching for the best songs on Power To The People [Box Set] should start with “New York City”, “Mother” and the live “Hound Dog”.

Key Points

• The box’s best song is "New York City" for its vivid, multicultural, and kinetic NYC celebration.
• The album’s core strengths are live energy from the One to One concerts, revealing demos, and rich archival context.

Themes

Critic's Take

John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band's Power To The People box set is, in Tom Doyle's textured assessment, a rescue mission that mostly succeeds, with the reworked studio material and the New York City remixes the real draws. Doyle singles out “New York City” as a revelation, its Ultimate Mix coming on like a punchy sister to The Beatles' Back In The USSR, and he praises home recordings such as “Gone From This Place” and “When The Teacher” for their intimacy and melodic charm. The One To One concert discs reward completists, but Doyle is clear that it is the restored studio tracks and Evolution Mixes that illuminate the material afresh. Overall, the best tracks on Power To The People are the remixed “New York City” and intimate home pieces like “Gone From This Place”, which encapsulate why these box sets matter.

Key Points

• The remixed “New York City” is the standout for its clarity, punch and revelatory mix.
• The box set's strengths are careful restoration, illuminating Evolution Mixes, and intimate home recordings that add depth.

Themes