Video Review: "Imagine"

AOL Music: A Perfect Circle: 'Imagine'

   I don't know why the music industry is so full of Bush haters.  Aren't the Republicans the ones who supposedly favor the rich?  Yet we get things like Rock Against Bush without an equal time Rock Against Kerry to counter it.  Now A Perfect Circle enters the fray- the latest band to think we care what they think.  But instead of bothering to compose a scathing new song on their own, like say The Beastie Boys,  they have taken the easy way out and done a cover.  

   Unfortunately, they chose to cover the definitive Lennon tune, "Imagine", a song that could not possibly be improved upon.  Whereas Lennon sounded hopeful (it is called Imagine, after all) APC sounds depressed.  I heard the song on the radio last night and all I thought was "Eh, remake."  After seeing the video today, I say, "Yuck, never let me see that again."  It is almost all stock footage of war and violence, contrasting the lyrics and apparently meant to show that planet Earth is nowhere even close to achieving Lennon's vision. 

     If you don't want to see all the terrible footage, you can be easily distracted by the CNN spoof of fake news and scores scrolling along the bottom.  This is where Bush and others take the majority of their lumps and APC make absolutely sure you know who they are voting for.  Interestingly enough, the last blurb is about how Devo made a social commentary video in the 80's comprised of mostly archival footage.  So, borrowing from Lennon and Devo, A Perfect Circle have achieved the rare double rip-off.  I might not have agreed with their views, but I would have had so much more respect for them if they had written their own song.

Grade: D    (You can follow the blue link above to judge for yourself.)