POP MUSIC REVIEW : Lennon: Time to Accept Identity With His Father

Conversation overheard in the men’s room at the Wiltern Theatre on Monday, near the end of Julian Lennon’s concert:

Mr. A: “That’s it. I’m outta here!”

Mr. B: “Is he just playing the same song over and over?”

Mr. A: “And where’re the Beatles songs? He’s supposed to play some Beatles. That’s what I came for.”

Poor Jude! The harder he tries to escape the ghost of his father John, the more tenaciously some people hold on to the mythic connection.

Julian did his part: The only overt references to his father came in the form of a couple of Beatlesque songs, a forced aside (introducing his new song “Mother Mary,” Lennon cautioned, “This is not part B of ‘Let It Be’ ”), and his version of John Lennon’s version of “Stand By Me.” Mr. A might have been displeased, but a crowd of squealing teeny-boppers and loyal adult fans was quite satisfied.

But unfortunately, as Mr. B’s more justified criticism pointed out, young Lennon is not establishing his own identity very well. It’s not for lack of trying: With his goatee and faded black tank-top and jeans he looked more like Roy Scheider in “All That Jazz” than you-know-who, and he’s often singing in a lower register that resembles David Bowie more than whatsizname, while his young band provides an overbearing, Power Station-ish sound.

But at the Wiltern it all added up to a case of trying too hard. Lennon has considerable (and unquestionably hereditary) vocal skills and a noteworthy way with a tune. But both aspects would benefit from a less bombastic and more personal and intimate approach.

The truth is, the most appealing and distinctive things about Julian Lennon do resemble John Lennon. And the best way for him to get on with his own artistic life would be to accept that and work with it, rather than fight against it. Who knows, he might even be able to please both Mr. A and Mr. B.