Review: John Mellencamp - No Better Than This

It seems to be fashionable for established old rockers to make laid-back, stripped down sounding albums nowadays. Like Johnny Cash, Neil Diamond, Willie Nelson and Tom Jones before him John Mellencamp is also returning to his roots. His new album, No Better Than this is recorded in mono, and recording locations includes Sun Studios and First African Baptist Church.

At least for me hearing these tings already makes the album sound good even before stating to spin it in my CD player. And I was right, it sounds damn good! In between all the laid back stripped down countryish songs there are some good rock tracks as well, and I will be damned if not for example No Better Than This (the title track) is very familiar, oh yes! It sounds just like Eddie Cochran! And sounding like Cochran is certainly a plus in my book.

An overall very good album where emotion is more important than musical perfectionism. It is easy to picture yourself riding a pick-up truck through the countryside in Southern USA, with Mellencamp picking these songs in the trunk.

Tracks:

01. Save Some Time To Dream
02. The West End
03. Right Behind Me
04. A Graceful Fall
05. No Better Than This
06. Thinking About You
07. Coming Down The Road
08. No One Cares About You
09. Love At First Sight
10. Don't Forget About Me
11. Each Day Of Sorrow
12. Easter Eve
13. Clumsy Ol' World

4/5