JOHN
MELLENCAMP
Life Death Love and Freedom
Hear Music 2008
www.mellencamp.com
Genre
Roots rock / americana / folk
The Good
"Longest Days" is about getting closer to the end of your life
and realizing you are mortal and no longer invincible. Twangy guitar tones
set the pace
for the upbeat duet "My Sweet Love." "If I Die Sudden" bounces
along to a faded guitar strum. Mellencamp always had a way of telling a
story through
someone eles eyes, and he does it again on John Cockers. "Don't Need
This Body" is another track about death drawing near. Only this time
instead of illness bringing you down, it about all the work and struggle
that
life puts you through. "Without a Shot" is a dark and smoky journey. "County
Fair" has a nice southern groove to it. Mellencamp ponders why we
can't be more humanitarian in our own country on "For the Children."
The Bad
Not really the material you recall from his work in the eighties.
The Verdict
John Mellencamp is slowing down a bit in his twilight years (and stripping
back the instruments), but he still has plenty of things to say. Mellencamp's
latest will make you
think,
make
you laugh, make you cry, make you love, and make you proud of who you are
and what you've done.
JOHN
MELLENCAMP
