Instant Karma - The Campaign To Save Darfur (2007)

John Lennon would have turned 67 in 2007. If alive, he could well be at the forefront of bringing peace to Darfur, where more than half a million have died from violence and disease during four years of rebel discord. So to create awareness of the ongoing conflict, Amnesty International (with permission from Yoko Ono) has mined Lennon's solo work and rounded up nearly two dozen current artists to reinterpret the music, which spans the ex-Beatle's entire post-band catalog (plus a pair from while the Fab Four were still in business). As with any attempt to cover Beatles-related music, results are hit and miss, with kudos going to Snow Patrol and the Postal Service for capturing the starkness of "Isolation" and "Grow Old with Me," respectively, Mexican rock band Jaguares for uncovering the fear and fury in "Gimme Some Truth," and (surprise!) Christina Aguilera for nailing the complex composition and mood of "Mother." Other highlights include Jackson Browne's piano-led "Oh My Love," Green Day's louder straight take on "Working Class Hero," and the Black Eyed Peas turning "Power to the People" into a gospelly protest. Will resurrecting 30-to-40-year-old messages of peace and love be enough to help end the brutalities in Darfur? That remains to be seen. But selecting John Lennon as the author of those messages will make people listen and, with this collection, may keep them listening.

Tracklist:
Disc 1
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1. U2 - Instant Karma
2. R.E.M. - # 9 Dream
3. Christina Aguilera - Mother
4. Aerosmith Feat. Sierra Leone's Refugee All
Stars - Give Peace A Chance
5. Lenny Kravitz - Cold Turkey
6. Los Lonely Boys - Whatever Gets You Through The Night
7. Corinne Bailey Rae - I'm Losing You
8. Jakob Dylan Feat. Dhani Harrison - Gimme Some Truth
9. Jackson Browne - Oh, My Love
10.Avril Lavigne - Imagine
11.Big & Rich - Nobody Told Me
12.Youssou N'Dour - Jealous Again

Disc 2
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1. Green Day - Working Class Hero
2. Black Eyed Peas - Power To The People
3. Jack Johnson - Imagine
4. Ben Harper - Beautiful Boy
5. Snow Patrol - Isolation
6. Matisyahu - Watching The Wheels
7. Postal Service - Grow Old With Me
8. Jaguares - Gimme Some Truth
9. The Flaming Lips - (Just Like) Starting Over
10.Jack's Mannequin Feat. Mick Fleetwood - God
11.Regina Spektor - Real Love