Blueprint for a Sunrise – Yoko Ono

Blueprint for Sunrise is something of a companion piece (almost 30 years down the road) to 1973's Feeling the Space, both being Ono's ruminations on the position and persistence of women in the world. There's still some anger present, but this time it's tempered with acceptance, but not resignation. Although she's made some concessions toward the pop world, Yoko is still firmly entrenched in the avant-garde fringes of rock. Most songs feature some of Yoko's trademark vocalizing, and a couple seem to be live recordings with mostly improvised accompaniment. The best moments of the album, however, come when the outside tendencies are reigned in, and something more resembling conventional songs come forward. The insistent funk groove with blasts of guitar noise on "It's Time for Action!" and Marley-flavored reggae of "I'm Not Getting Enough" are particularly successful, as are the Rhodes-led "Wouldnit Swing" and the piano-driven rocker "Soul Got Out of the Box." "I Remember Everything" is a surprisingly tender love song. Yoko Ono is still an acquired taste, to say the least, but Blueprint for a Sunrise hits as often as it misses. ~ Sean Westergaard, All Music Guide