Help Yourself includes a wide variety of musical styles from the bizarre "New Physics Rant," to the beat driven "Get a Life," to the beautifully melodic "Would You." It is also a rather intelligent album tackling issues of dealing with difficult people in "Listen," dealing with your own problems in "Help Yourself," the environment in "Saltwater," politics in "Imaginary Lines," relationships in "Other Side of Town," and insecurities in "Take Me Home."

Julian Lennon stretches some musical muscle on this album, both in terms of lyrics and score, and what came of that is a truly excellent album. Unfortunately, lack of commericial promotion by the record company has left this work in the shadows all these years.

If you already have Photograph Smile and you're looking for another CD by this artist, this is the one to get.

Underrated classic
Not only is this the finest record of Jules' career, it is one of the best pop records I have ever heard. I never saw this coming, based on the lame Valotte and Secret Value of Daydreaming; Mr.Jordan showed some slight promise, but I think everybody had pretty much written Julian off by the time this came out. I don't know what desperation provoked the outburst of genius that infuses this album, and I think Bob Ezrin probably had a lot to do with the sonic diversity, but I wish he could channel it again. If you don't own a Julian Lennon album, this is the one to get, not the bloated, excessive and self-pitying Photgraph Smile. Favorite tracks include the touching (not weedy...those Brits!) Saltwater with its George Harrison-ish slide guitar, Take Me Home, a lovely aching ballad, and the wacked-out New Physics Rant, in which JL puts on his Bowie mask and politely freaks out for almost five minutes, aided by the requisite Ezrin children's choir. I recommend this highly to anyone curious about Julian, and I fervently hope he rediscovers the muse he had when this was written and recorded.

The best of Julian Lennon
I don't use the word fan, but I do own all of his albums. This is my favorite. The romantic journey found in "Take me home" is so touching it became "our song" in a relationship which has become an 8 year marriage. "Salt Water" a song I sat alone in the mountains listening to in the dark when I needed to think.

This album really is his best to date in my opinion. It is a blend of lilting optomism, and joy. Just plain well written, performed- lovely!

Legacy Fulfilled
This is the definitive Julian Lennon album. It fulfills the promise of the Lennon legacy with supreme confidence, ability and charm. It is a far-reaching album that collects all the varied styles and influences at play on previous discs and delivers them in a distinctive package that is singularly Julian. It's a complex work of breathtaking sweep that even his father never really achieved, taking on a number of subjects both social and personal. The arrangements and production are as intricate as anything on "Photograph Smile" without the addition of saccharine. In its day, the advent of Q Sound made this album swell from the speakers and fill the room with song. Considering how successful "Mr. Jordan" was, it's a shame this didn't find a bigger audience.

BTW, am I not the only one who thinks it's an uncredited George Harrison playing the guitar solo on "Saltwater"?

cooool!
Still in the player after 2 months says i liked it. I am a Julian fan from the Valotte single and have been intrigued by his writing style.... I was rekindled to his musical heritage (guess?) from friends who then rekindled sooo many memories and then influences upon me. Then I saw this man in the "saltwater" video and heard and knew what i had been missing since "Valotte"..it was JULIAN!