I'm a bit of a simple soul at heart and as such I tend to see most things black and white with not many shades of grey in-between. I either like something or I don't. I can't always explain why because I often just simply don't know. I love sprouts but hate broccoli. No idea why. One just tastes good to me while the other doesn't. It's the same with music for me.
I both admire and envy those who are able to write these wonderful reviews on this and the other thread. I wish I could do it but I can't. I probably could with classical music and opera as I feel on more solid ground with those but not with rock/pop etc. I just don't have the musical education in those genres to feel able to write a deep and meaningful analysis.
None of this relates specifically to this album but is just a general note that will probably apply to most of the reviews I write. It isn't because I don't want or am too lazy to write an insightful review. I just don't feel able to.
Anyway, to the album in question.
John Mellencamp is a name that I have heard frequently over the years but I am not aware of having ever heard any of his music before (and after a couple of listens to this album, I'm pretty sure I have never heard any of these tracks before). I guess I associated the name with American rock (similar to Springsteen and Petty) which really isn't the kind of music I would normally listen to but I tried to be as open-minded as possible.
I listened on Spotify and when I do that, I tend to listen to the one that has had the most plays first as presumably that is the most popular/standout track. I then work my way through in album in descending order of popularity. On the 2nd listen, I work through it in the order it is presented on the album.
This meant that my first ever John Mellencamp track was Cherry Bomb which had 4 times the plays of the 2nd most popular. I must admit to being a bit surprised by it. It was perhaps a bit softer rock than I expected and pleasant enough to listen to but not something I would have expected to be a standout track on a highly regarded album. Paper in Fire was again pleasant enough to listen to but nothing special. So it continued as I progressed through the album. Nothing that really made me sit up and take notice but nothing that really made me want to skip to the next song. Funnily enough, my favourite track was the last one (both chronologically and in terms of popularity) Blues from the Front Porch. It was the only one that really stood out for me and the only one that I could see myself playing again in future (and I'm not a huge blues fan).
Maybe it's an album that would grown on me with more than 2 listens but I doubt it. Neither sprouts nor broccoli to me. Something in between. One of those shades of grey that I don't often find.
I find it hard rating it. It is obviously an album that means something to a few on here, so I don't want to be too harsh. I'm sure it is a fine example of its genre but it just isn't for me.
It would have been a 5 but Blues from the Front Porch just about pushes it up to a 6/10.
