Customer Reviews

No Better Than This

5 star:		(47)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

With "No Better Than This" John Mellencamp deepens the rich, intimate simplicity of his last record, focusing on strong song craft. Recorded in mono, the album is disarmingly warm and inviting, giving the songs room to breathe with lo-fi, unadorned arrangements. T-Bone Burnett once again takes up production duties.

This is not an album that will ship a million records, but it is ripe for an audience looking for hearty Americana.

As time soldiers on so too does Mellencamp's persona. Like his contemporary Bruce Springsteen, he has become something of a retrospective malcontent with his 60s creeping up on him. He still harbors the restless spirit of a much younger man, calling out for social justice and pondering life's big questions straightforwardly.

In the heartbreaking, matter-of-fact "The West End," for instance, he proves himself a first-rate poet as he magnifies the vicious circle - the "broken promises" - that keep the oppressed immobile in contemporary society.

"For my whole life I've been down in the West End/It sure has changed here since I was a kid/It's worse now - look what progress did/Someone lined the packers out - I know who that is."

He also ponders the possibility of a better existence beyond mortal life on "A Graceful Fall" with a cynical eye:

"'Cause I'm sick of life, yeah, it's easy to do/When everything is so hard has been handed to you/Yeah I'm sick of life, it's been lost, it's been found/I will see you in the next world if there is really one."

The subject matter is not always harrowingly heavy, of course. Mellencamp waxes poetic on finding euphoria in life's most affirming moments in the upbeat title track and lead single, even though a bittersweet sense of urgency peaks out through the song's sunny surface - after all, time passes quickly.

"Give me clear vision and don't let me miss anything," he swiftly sings

Could Mellencamp have launched a commercially successful career with an album like this? Of course not. That does not discount it.

Whether he cannot shake pessimism in the face of life's obstacles ("No One Cares About Me"), explores the potential for a more fulfilling existence ("Save Some Time to Dream") or revels in the mystery of what cannot be changed ("Clumsy Ol' World") Mellencamp remains thoroughly and remarkably engaging throughout "No Better Than This."

He writes story songs that immediately grab and speak to people of all walks of life- the essence of American music.

Remember when John Cougar was the next David Bowie and T Bone Burnett was a guitar player in Dylan's "Rolling Thunder Revue"? Doesn't seem like all that long ago to me. John Cougar became John Cougar Mellencamp and finally just plain John Mellencamp. He went from "heartland rock" to roots rock and now he's made it all the way back to the roots of rock. T Bone has had a solo career that critics and devout fans sing the praises of. Then a little movie called "O Brother Where Art Thou" suddenly made him the closest he'll ever be to a household name. More importantly, he proved to the recording industry that record buyers would embrace roots music.
"No Better Than This" was recorded by John and T Bone during John's off days from a minor league baseball park tour he was doing with Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson. Recorded in mono, T Bone and John used places like Sun Studios and The First African Baptist Church in Memphis, the first African Baptist church in North America dating back to before the Revolutionary War. Also used was room 414 of the Gunter Hotel in San Antonio, Texas where Robert Johnson first recorded for Brunswick Records. "No Better Than This" is a live record with real musicians that feels real and sounds absolutely terrific. With "Freedom Road" and "Life, Death, Love and Freedom", it marks the high point of an American folk rock trilogy that shows John Mellencamp hasn't become a nostalgia act. Indeed, he may just be hitting his creative stride. An amazing piece of work.

John Mellencamp has lately turned to folk/blues music, the likes of Woodie Guthrie, Robert Johnson, etc. This has, in many ways, been a fortuitous career move: he has crafted meaningful music that has delved into the heart of both Americana and humanity. However, it's also created albums that, while elegant and magnificent from an artistic standpoint, have been almost painful to listen to--music so dark and haunting that it must be taken in small doses.

NO BETTER THAN THIS is something of a breather, though not a passive one. Its lyrics are just as important and beautiful, but they are accompanied by a country/folk backbone that makes even the most downtrodden lyric ("I'm sick of life 'cause it's lost its form/I'll see you in the next world if there is really one") almost pleasant to listen to. Not that everything here is tears and frowns; "Save some time to dream/Because your dream might save us all," he croons in the opening number, and elsewhere (the title track, for instance) he seems relaxed and contended.

It's a false contentment, of course; even at his happiest, Mellencamp can't help but question the world around him. "Gee, it's a clumsy old world," he sings in the final track (and concludes with a wry chuckle); Mellencamp, like most of the great singer/songwriters before him, is in love with that clumsiness, with the imperfection of human nature. NO BETTER THAN THIS is a marvelous album; it's fun, it's catchy, and it's meaningful. Will it top the charts? No. But Mellencamp has more important things on his mind than record sales.

If you're expecting Mellencamp with that great garage band sound with acordion and Miriam Sturm playing a major part in a variety of up beat sounds, you may initially be disappointed but this is a totally different sound, Mellencamp's latest CD is composed of a throw back sound that replicates the stark bareness of the early 50's of rock n roll with the straight forward simple sounds of guitar, drums and bass. There are not too many up beat or fast tempo songs but a number of the tunes remind me of a bluesy version of Arlo Gutherie backed by Buddy Holley's simple band the Cricketts creating a mix of blues folk and old fashioned rock n roll. Being used to the variety of sounds associated with Mellencamp's past bands, it may be an adjustment to listen to Mellencamp's bare voice backed by a minimal use of instruments. The songs are relatively slow speaking from the heart and telling of simply stories and feelings of pain with plenty of acoustical guitar. However, the more I played the tracks, the more I appreciated the concept and appreciated the simply arrangements that really allow the instruments to stand out. Mellencamp's voice sounds a bit raspy at times but that adds to the blues sound. I also appreciated the instrumentation very much particular the old sound of what sounds like a classic Fender guitar and the use of a bass is particularly welcome throw back, hence my reference to the Cricketts. The most enjoyable song to me is "No Better Than This" with one of the few up beat tempos on the album and where the bass and guitar really put out a thumping, knee stomping sound. "Save Some Time to Dream" could possibly have been a pop hit with a faster beat but it still stand outs on the album along with "Don't Forget About Me" and "Each Time of Sorrow". The pace of the majority of the songs are slow sets and lean heavily on Mellencamp carrying the load. Certainly a collectible for the fan and an intriguing album of sounds from long ago. Recorded in many historic locations with the barest of equipment just like at Sun Records in the 50s and some of the songs were recorded in the same studio. Produced and musically assisted by T Bone Brunett and violinist Miriam Sturm is on board. I enjoy the album the more I play it, it does grow on you as you appreciate the sound each time. I do wish Sturm had a greater role but I look forward to her on tour with Mellencamp and their next collaboration.

This is the third instalment in the trilogy of folk rock CD releases (John Mellencamp's music taking a new direction) [Official website, 2008] by the legendary rock singer-songwriter, Hall of Famer John Mellencamp, inspired by his musical hero, Woody Guthrie [Yes Network interview : Centerstage by Michael Kay, 2008], titled "No Better Than This". The first instalment was the 2007 folk rock CD release "Freedom's Road", followed then by the 2008 CD release, the highly acclaimed "Life, Death, Love And Freedom" & the third instalment is this new CD release "No Better Than This". This album was composed & recorded (in 2008 & 2009) using "basic old recording techniques" to give it an "authentic feel" (mono recording) & is produced by the legendary T-Bone Burnett (he also produced "Life, Death, Love And Freedom"). It seems John Mellencamp is more reflective, introspective & perhaps rebelious (he probably can afford to do so at this stage in his career) in this release "No Better Than This". This CD has 13 new songs that are of acoustic mellow, jazzy & folk rock feel. My favourite track is "Save Some Time To Dream", hence the title of my review. Other notable tracks are "A Graceful Fall", "Coming Down The Road", "No One Cares About Me", "Don't Forget About Me", "Easter Love" & "Clumsy Ol' World". If you enjoyed the CDs "Trouble No More", "Freedom's Road", "Life/Live, Death, Love And Freedom" & acoustic songs/versions in "On The Rural Route 7609" or enjoy Bob Dylan's music, you will enjoy/love this new recording. As for myself, I do like this new album somewhat but would rather certainly prefer John Mellencamp's CD releases before this trilogy, I give this new CD "No Better Than This" 4 stars.

I really like the songs on this album but the quality of the recording is just plain not good. I know they were trying to achieve an authentic sound and so supposedly use an old Ampeg tape recorder but the result is a very muddled sound. Listen to Springsteen's "Seeger Sessions" or Dave Alvin's "Public Domain" for much better efforts to do folky-rock music. It's too bad they did this as the songs are really good. There is a good reason why most artists choose to use modern recording technology. It just sounds better.

The one great thing about Mellencamp is that he tries different things with his music. "No Better Than This" is a stripped down, 50's style record, with mono sound and one microphone with no overdubs. It sounds like it was made in the 1950's, and that's exactly what Mellencamp was shooting for.

At times sounding like Elvis Presley, and other times sounding like Johnny Cash, and in other places sounding like Pete Seeger, Mellencamp infuses "No Better Than This" with his unique take on that style of music. Of course it works very well because Mellencamp seldom missteps artistically anymore.

However, because the sound is so stripped and narrowed, by the end it feels somewhat like listening to the same two songs over and over again. I admire Mellencamp's ambition, and the album's lyrics are well done, but musically, this is not my favorite Mellencamp. I get why many people like this direction, but it's not exactly what I was expecting. This has been the case for some time now. Each Mellencamp album having several gems, and then some that are forgettable. He has not made a consistent album in years, he just continues to make good albums.

The songs that stood out were: "Save Some Time To Dream", "Thinking About You", "Coming Down The Road", "No One Cares About Me", "Love At First Sight", "Easter Eve" and "Clumsy Ol' World". The rest are good, with my least favorite being either "Right Behind Me" or "Each Day Of Sorrow". I particularly liked the two longer tracks "Easter Eve" and "No One Cares About Me" where Mellencamp channels Pete Seeger's storytelling prowess.

The me reiterate: "No Better Than This" is a good album, but not MY favorite type of Mellencamp. At this point, after listening to all of Mellencamp's albums in sequential order leading up to this release, I am fine with whatever Mellencamp wants to do at this point. I feel he has fulfilled his musical contract and is now free to do whatever. I will always buy Mellencamp, but that doesn't mean I will always be excited about everything he does. This album and "Life Death Love And Freedom" and even "Freedom's Road" and "Trouble No More" are all darker, bleaker Mellencamp works, and I don't mind dark one bit, but musically, these albums share similarities in style, and that style can be repetitive.

Here's how "No Better Than This" compares to Mellencamp's other works:

1976 Chesnut Street Incident: Two Stars
1977 The Kid Inside: Two Stars
1978 A Biography: Two and a Half Stars
1979 John Cougar: Two and a Half Stars
1980 Nothin' Matters And What If It Did: Three Stars
1982 American Fool: Three and a Half Stars
1983 Uh Huh: Five Stars
1985 Scarecrow: Five Stars
1987 The Lonesome Jubilee: Five Stars
1989 Big Daddy: Five Stars
1991 Whenever We Wanted: Three and a Half Stars
1993 Human Wheels: Five Stars
1994 Dance Naked: Five Stars
1996 Mr. Happy Go Lucky: Four Stars
1998 John Mellencamp: Four Stars
1999 Rough Harves: Two and a Half Stars
2001 Cuttin' Heads: Three and a Half Stars
2003 Trouble No More: Three and a Half Stars
2007 Freedom's Road: Three and a Half Stars
2008 Life Death Love And Freedom: Three and a Half Stars
2010 No Better Than This: Three and a Half Stars

What we have here with No Better Than This is a transparent attempt to impart an image of "cool": A "cool", acclaimed producer, minimalist sound in mono, a clutch of storied recording locations, and bare-bones packaging that includes a flimsy booklet that has all the grit of Soviet-era toilet paper. Yet despite all the gimmicks, this is still a fine CD!
Some complain that John Mellencamp's voice doesn't sound like it used to. Well, neither does Bob Dylan's nor do those of a host of other long-time singers I can think of! I kind of prefer the hoarse, gravelly texture of his current vocal style. It fits right in with the bleak, unadorned songs you'll enjoy here. Think of a cross between John Fogerty and Ray Wiley Hubbard. And despite the carping of some fans about the recording techniques, some of the songs are fine indeed! My favorites are The West End, Right Behind Me, and the Dylanesque ballad Easter Eve.
With this CD, you get a taste of the roots of both rock and country. A Graceful Fall and Coming Down the Road hark back to the country of the 1950s while the title cut, No One Cares About Me, and Each Day of Sorrow evoke rock styles of the same period. I have been listening to Mellencamp since he was billed as John Cougar and to my taste, he has gotten much better with age. If you are an old fan of his with an open mind, give this an honest listen. You may just agree with me on that count.
As for the packaging, it leaves much to be desired. The cardboard sleeve yawns as though it expects contents more substantial than the CD and the wispy "booklet" that accompanies it. The booklet, however, is important as it contains the lyrics, the reading of which will enhance your appreciation of the music. So despite its flaws, No Better Than This is an album which is of far greater musical importance than some of Mellencamp's more commercial early releases.

The last John Mellencamp song that I remember listening to is "Rain On The Scarecrow" from some 20 years ago. Some may be wondering what would interest me after all the years, but others would guess that it's producer T-Bone Burnett. While I'm not that familiar with John Mellencamp's overall body of work, I can say that No Better Than This is another very solid CD in a long line of those that Burnett has produced over the last couple of years (including Elvis Costello's Secret, Profane & Sugarcane, Jacob Dylan's Women and Country, and Willie Nelson's Country Music).

The low-fi analog recordings start out with one of the catchiest songs I've heard in "Save Some Time To Dream". It is a song about not getting caught up in the rat race of life and the hope that comes from our dreams "Save some time to dream/'Cause your dream might save us all". Another song that grabbed me was "A Graceful Fall". Like the opener it has simple twangy guitar backing, but it is more of a downer - "Yeah I'm sick of life/'Cause it's lost its fun/I'll see you in the next life/If there's really one". The title track is a rockabilly number about the paints the picture of the ideal life. One other song worth mentioning is the epic folk story "Easter Eve". It tells the tale of a man and his son who have an altercation with a patron in a cafe, get arrested, and wind up leaving with the patron's wife after they get out on bail.

Like so many of T-Bone Burnett's projects this CD has that "old timey" feel to it. The recording method makes it sound like it was recorded half a century or more ago. John Mellencamp penned thirteen good songs, and the musicians play admirably. While it is not quite on par with Burnett's collaboration with Costello, No Better Than This is a worthy offering nonetheless.

Download this: Save Some Time To Dream

What is with the schizophrenia running rampant in the pop world today?!? So far this year we've had Cyndi Lauper wanting to be Big Mama Thornton, Tom Petty channelling Muddy Waters and Sheryl Crow offering up her best Dusty Springfield. Now we've got John Mellencamp, who, on his new NO BETTER THAN THIS, is sounding like everyone from Robert Johnson to Bob Dylan, back to Woody Guthrie...and on to himself.
However, Mellencamp has a secret weapon, and because of said weapon he ultimately fares the best. Unlike other artists who try something "new", Mellencamp never fully immerses himself in the new style...he just flavors his own sound with it. The result? He never loses himself, thus he never sounds like a fish out of water. (Killer production by T-Bone Burnett doesn't hurt either!).
Things kick off with the lovely "Save Some Time To Dream", a relaxed shuffle that could have appeared on pretty much any previous Mellencamp album...and fit right in!
An easy-going lead vocal, muted instrumentation and strong lyrics ("Save some time for sorrow/Cause it will surely come your way/Prepare yourself for failure/It will give you strength someday") all meld together, ultimately forming a classic album opener.
There's an eerie American Gothic vibe to "The West End" that is both hypnotic and chilling. Mellencamp's vocal is just this side of a growl, while the instrumentation is simply mesmerizing...the guitars (both electric and acoustic), banjo and bass just float in and about. Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!!!
Up next is one of my favorite cuts, the quirky "Right Behind Me." There's a twisted, atmospheric 1920's speak-easy groove to the track, gorgeously aided and abetted by Miriam Sturm's breath-taking violin playing. Moreso than any other song on NBTT, "Right Behind Me" jumps out at you like a little mini movie, all animated and alive. LOVE it!!
The arrangement for "A Graceful Fall" kind of plods along, and Mellencamp's vocal is sort of uninspired, but the song has some of the album's best lyrics: "It's not a graceful fall/From dreams to the truth/There's not a lotta hope here/If you've got nothing to lose." All in all, still another winner.
The same could be said about the disc's title track. I'm not nuts about Mellencamp's slightly affected lead vocal, but I love "No Better Than This"'s psuedo-rockabilly groove, while the lyrics rock ("Give me back my youth/And don't let me waste it this time/Stand me up at the golden gates/At the front of the line"). Yet another track that inches into the "Plus" column.
"Thinking About You" doesn't inch in, it plows it's way in, jetting right to the top of the Best Cuts list. A heartwarmingly sweet lead vocal is delicately cushioned by nothing more than a lone (albeit powerful) acoustic guitar, while the melancholy lyrics perfectly touch on lost loves and times long since past. One of NBTT's true gems.
The disc takes a slight dip at this point. "Coming Down The Road" has a somewhat stale, dated vibe to it, like a decades-old Country cut that should have been left buried on some ancient C&W 78. Mellencamp's vocal is strong, but even the arrangement seems to be a rehash of sounds that are used elsewhere (and to better effect) on the disc.
The same can be said about "No One Cares About Me"...the song just goes on and on and on and....! Unlike, say, "Right Behind Me", this track, with all it's characters and verses, does not paint a picture...it just continues on and on, to the point where you understand WHY no one cares about this guy! This is Mellencamp trying too hard, which in and of itself is a real rarity.
Things get back on track with "Love At First Sight", another acoustic-driven beaut. Once again, it's just Mellencamp's vocal and a lone guitar, both of which are in fine form. Add to the mix clever, kitchy lyrics and you have the album's most fun cut. (This is the sort of clever tune that has made Mellencamp the icon that he is).
"Don't Forget About Me" is another one of the tracks that sits squarely on the fence for me, but this time around I've got to say it ends up in the "Minus" column....and I'm sure why. Mellencamp's vocal is strong and solid, and I love the lyrics ("You can't see the pictures I'm painting/Of me and you together/From life to death to heaven"). In the end, though, there's just something "Blah" about the track.
Next we have my favorite cut off the album, the spirited "Each Day Of Sorrow." If I didn't know better I'd swear this was a lost gem from someone like Dorsey Burnette. With it's fuzzy guitar, pulsating bass, snappy stick work and attitude-drenched lead vocal, this is a hit through and through!
I also really like "Easter Eve", but the track is once again derailed by the feeling that Mellencamp is trying too hard to tell a story here. The fact that the song goes on for almost six and a half minutes doesn't help. Let's call this one a draw.
Things wrap up with the sweet "Clumsy Ol' World." A smooth lead vocal, sharp finger-picking and thoughtful lyrics ("She don't eat meat/But she smokes cigarettes/She remembers things/I'm trying to forget") all add up to the perfect album closer....understated, but unforgettable.
And that could describe most of NO BETTER THAN THIS. However, with three acoustic-driven, folk-based albums in a row now under his belt, I'm ready for John Mellencamp to shake things up again. That's when he does, indeed, get better than this. (As with all my reviews, I'm giving the disc an extra half a star for including the lyrics, a real rarity this year!).