John Mellencamp • Freedom's Road
B+
"Someday," "Ghost Towns Along The Highway," and "Freedom's Road" pine for hope and optimism, while the superb "Rural Route" and "Jim Crowe"—a duet with Joan Baez—explore the harsh realities that still haunt the American landscape. And "Rodeo Clown," a hidden track that closes the album, paints a not-so-rosey picture of George Bush and company.
Not everything works. "The Americans," an ironic assessment of America's self-assumed identity, plays like cheesy patriotism, and "Our Country," though redeemed within the context of this album, still reeks of Chevrolet's corporate stamp. Nevertheless, Freedom's Road is an accomplished record that can stand proudly next to his celebrated classics.
posted by C Combs at 4:59 PM
9 Comments:
I gotta admit I haven't listened to a mellencamp "album" since lil pink houses. Wait, he's made "albums" since then?
Please clarify for us. Did you quit listening to music at age four, or did you simply shut out everything until the untimely demise of Creed?
sniff, why, oh why did you leave us in a such a state scott stapp???? Oh, and why, ho oh ho why, did del chriz review the latest lamest def leppard alBUM?(stick that in your windpipe, and blow buddy!)
Def Leppard
Rolling Stone (***) says "Def Leppard have a huge chip on their shoulder about being lumped in with the U.K. and U.S. hair-metal bands of the Eighties. To set the record straight, they've recorded this album of covers of songs by their real heroes: people like David Bowie, T.Rex and the Kinks, as well as lesser-known Seventies rockers such as Sweet and John Kongos. Happily, Yeah! is their most convincing album in fourteen years, which proves their point."
Allmusic (****1/2)They're reinvigorated by this material, and by playing these songs, it's easier to appreciate what makes Def Leppard a great rock & roll band... If they could carry this sound and feel onto an album of originals, they would have a killer record, but saying that diminishes the accomplishment of Yeah!. It's a killer record in its own right, and more pure fun than anything yet released in 2006. Few bands could achieve an artistic comeback via a covers album, but as this glorious record proves, there are few bands like Def Leppard.
El Chriz Further Comment: Boys and girls, don't be music snobs and don't be afraid to listen to the music that the nerds at Plan 9 and Pitchfork Media deem uncool. Good music is good music.
What has '9' arms and sucks?
Def Leppard.
The more reviews I read from allmusic, the more convinced I am that del chriz actually writes all of allmuzak's reviews. If your first single from your album is "Rock On" I don't need to listen to your album, sorry, no matter how many "stars" you receive. Go reinvigorate yourself in the bathroom.
What's wrong Jon? Do you fear David Essex? Are you "still looking for that blue jean, baby queen / Prettiest girl I ever seen / See her shake on the movie screen, Jimmy Dean (James Dean)?" Or do you just fear one-armed drummers? Since it has taken you nearly a full year to debate my Def Leppard review, I can only assume you fear the wrath of the Sheffield boys... and all nine of their arms.
Ha, Fear? Never, I've just been saving up my wrath, my bile, to let it all out now in a glorious spew. Bring on your one-armed dog and I will shoot him down in the street with musical revelry!(technically I'm not sure if that means what I want it to, but it sounds good)
I shall end this volley by changing the subject and answering your original question. Mr. Mellencamp has made eleven albums since "Pink Houses" hit the airwaves. In addition he has smoked more cigarettes than all of Def Leppard combined.
Yet he still stands.. both arms in tact, ornery, jaded and prepared to take your musical revelry, stuff it into the tip of a Pall Mall cigarette, smoke it, sing "Jack and Diane" in its entirety, exhale, then rant about how Jon is right, "Def Leppard is a piece of shit."
Well put del c, the man does smoke like a fiend still as far as I know, and I will give him that in spite of the many warnings he has to have read on the back of those cigarette boxes. Great comment battle, and in the end, I WIN, AHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA!
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