Life Death Love and Freedom

Life, Death, Love and Freedom is one of Mellencamp's best...soulful; introspective; poetic and dead on. I think he was once quoted that he'd never write a song better than Jackie Brown. While that remains a strong contender for all time best, this collection deserves the grouping as the best.

As a longtime fan of JCM, I bought this album immediately. There are a few songs that are memorable, but nothing is particularly standout. It seems that Mellencamp is running out of topics, sans the state of melancholia which is the repeated topic du jour for this compilation. Mr. Happy Go Lucky or Scarecrow are much better albums--a better mix of sadness, loneliness and wise observations. Still, it is the very talented JCM's work, so if you are indeed a fan, it won't be a disappointment to spend $10 for it.

Lifeless and limp - Had Mellencamp released this trash in his prime it would have never received air play and for good reason - If I want bad country music I'll watch Hee Haw (at least I can turn off the volume and watch the hot looking women) - Hard to believe that it is the same guy who created Scarecrow, Human Wheels and Uh-huh - By far his worst effort......yes, it's even worse than his "Freedom's Road" debacle

Change is good. Staying in the same spot benefits no one, be it artist or listener. Over the last 20+ years, John Mellencamp has realized this, touching upon everything from hip-hop to country to keep his sound fresh. His decision to work with an outside producer ~ the amazing T-Bone Burnett~ for the first time in ages just seemed like another smart move, expecially after Burnett's success with RAISING SAND, the brilliant Robert Plant/Alison Krauss project he helmed last year. Sadly, though, LIFE DEATH LOVE & FREEDOM only partially works, weighted down by a combination of dour lyrics and downbeat arrangements. Don't get me wrong....a number of the songs feature some of the best, most poetic lyrics Mellencamp has ever written...I just wish they had mixed things up a bit more instrumentally. Things kick off strongly with the somber, questioning "Longest Days." With it's honest lead vocal, muted arrangement and powerful lyrics ("So you pretend not to notice/That everything has changed/The way that you look/And the friends you once had/So you keep on acting the same/But deep down in your soul/You know you got no flame"), this song is a musical punch in the gut for anyone past a certain age. "My Sweet Love", the first of a number of tracks featuring Little Big Town's Karen Fairchild, just doesn't work; the hyper arrangement is all over the place, the vocals are dueling vs. blending, and the lyrics come across as forced and brittle. A definite low point. Things rebound with the edgy "If I Die Sudden." There's an urgency to the track that just pulls you in, with a lead vocal that's clear, crisp and slightly caustic. The arrangement's economical, but everyone's playing with a real fire in their belly, resulting in an energetic romp that's infectious! There's a forboding quality to "Troubled Land" that's both fascinating and spooky. Part political commentary, part heartfelt observation, Mellencamp delivers the song in a detached, almost chilly, lead vocal, which only adds to the track's overall effectiveness. "Young Without Lovers" has a boozy, bluesy quality to it, chock-full of sly vocals and sinister lyrics ("Life is an abstraction/And it tries to fool us all/And it's working so far it seems"), while "John Cockers" is a fun, twisted trip down memory lane. In this song, we see what happened to Jack after the magic wore off and Diane left him, leaving behind a bitter, solitary soul with no reason (or desire) to continue on. Proof positive that even characters in classic pop music songs don't always land that happy ending. The cheerfest continues with "Don't Need This Body." Fairchild provides some nice backing vocals, but after four ultra-downbeat tracks, well, this one just sort of grates on the nerves. It also has a "used" vibe to it, like it could have been an outtake from last year's similarly dark (but more varied) FREEDOM'S ROAD. "A Ride Back Home" has a nice kick to it as it ambles along. Mellencamp and Fairchild's vocals mesh perfectly, and I love the lines "You wouldn't know by looking at me now/But I was showin some promise once upon a time/But it's gone now/And it ain't comin back/My time's come and gone/It's as simple as that." One of LDL&F's high points!
"Without A Shot" is a political treaty that's just a tad bit heavy handed. Part of Mellencamp's charm as a writer has always been the fact that he (almost) never totally reveals his full hand...there's always something hidden up his sleeve. That's not the case here ~ everything's laid out in plain sight (The minimalist arrangement only accentuates the fact). Mellencamp's a lot better than this. "Jena" is just as incendiary, but it's delivered in a much more textured, layered mannner. The arrangement is concise and precise, the vocal intense and the lyrics almost poetic ("So what becomes of boys that can't think straight/Particularly those with paper bag skin"), though the chorus of "Take your nooses down" seems a bit too in your face. One of my favorite songs off of LIFE is "Mean", the disc's shortest and sweetest cut. There's something so raw and honest about Mellencamp's vocal, but the track's true power manifests itself in it's worldly scope....he could be addressing a lover, an enemy, the world. "Could you please stop being so mean"....Wow! What a concept! Definitely one of Mellencamp's best songs from the last two decades. I also really love "County Fair." This other-worldly slice of Gothic Americana has a hypnotic vibe to it, one that just draws you in. Mark my word...with it's quirky instrumentation and hushed lead vocal, this little gem would have made a killer video back in the mid-to-late 80's or early 90's! "For The Children" is a nice representation of all the questions a parent may have to deal with, but Karen Fairchild's duet vocal just isn't strong (or experienced) enough. I can't help but feel this track would have really benefited from a more mature counter viewpoint, say the crystalline tones of Rosanne Cash or the grittiness of former duet partner Rickie Lee Jones. Nice....but could have been a WHOLE lot better. Things wrap up with the somber "A Brand New Song." Yes, it's also a downer, but I love the melodica and the lines "That's the trouble with the future/It always stays the same." Strong stuff. And that's part of the paradox of LIFE DEATH LOVE & FREEDOM....there's a lot of strong material on it that grows on you with repeated listens, but it's almost impossible to listen to all the way thru. John Mellencamp has addressed a lot of these topics in the past on such classics as THE LONESOME JUBILEE, HUMAN WHEELS, MR. HAPPY GO LUCKY and JOHN MELLENCAMP, but he's always done it with a lot more wit and variety. A painter of some note, Mellencamp is just using blues, blacks and purples here. I'm hoping he rediscovers his reds, golds, greens and oranges on his next outing (As with all my reviews, I'm giving the disc an extra half a star for including the lyrics).

First let me open by saying I own just about every album from John Mellencamp, and am very familiar with the path and poetry of his music.

Without some perspective, it might be difficult album to simply start being a huge Mellecamp fan, however, it's an EXCELLENT album.

Since "Cougs" is about 10 years older than me, I've always looked to his music for the messages and signposts within his lyrics. With this bitter-sweet peek into the future, Mellencamp sings about a rough life, such as in his "Don't need this body", singing "This getting older aint for cowards.."

Joe Cockers, rocks an awesome beat, and would be an awesome song in a live setting.

In general I'd characterize this music as Blues, not Folk, and it is very intriguing.

What is all this noise about the track "Sweet Love"? What is the big deal? It's not even CLOSE to being the best song on this album! In fact, I think it's one of the worst. I'm guessing there is some video version moving up the charts somewhere.

Oh, and there is an extra "DVD version" of the music. (Just the music in a "more pure" format) Which is some kind seems to be some proprietary ThX like or Dolby like, music standard equivalent.

This is wasted on me. Why not give me an option for a less expensive price, instead of forcing this on me? Thanks for the extra drink coaster.

I'm on the fence about giving this 5 stars or 4. I was originally leaning toward 5 because it is true to its title, great music about Life, Death, Love and Freedom, however, I fell on the side of 4 stars, because, I agree with a few of the other reviews, that, this is a difficult album to listen to straight through.

I think there is ample awesome music here, but there is also some "dead wood".


STANDOUT TRACKS:
Joe Cockers
Don't Need this body
Mean