Human Wheels (Rpkg) [Extra tracks, Original recording remastered]

John Mellencamp | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 28, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 1993
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Original recording remastered
• Label: Island / Mercury
• ASIN: B000A0EMHW
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #67,092 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rolling On, July 28, 2005

By 

Thomas Magnum (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Human Wheels (Rpkg) (Audio CD)

After the hard edge of Whenever We Wanted, Human Wheels find John Mellencamp again quieting things down. Though you could draw a comparison to Big Daddy, it would be through the softer nature of the album, not the lyrical content. The theme that runs through Human Wheels is about relationships and their growth. The title track is an instant classic. "What If I Came Knocking", "When Jesus Left Birmingham", "Junior" and "Suzanne & The Jewels" are all first rate John Mellencamp songs. Human Wheels finds John Mellencamp realizing that he is no longer a kid, but an adult and the songs are the most mature of his career.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Some serious fun from Indiana, August 12, 2005

By 

Blair G. Helsing "Jazz musician" (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Human Wheels (Rpkg) (Audio CD)

12 years on, this album continues to entertain and move me. Most of the Mellencamp songs I like in his catalog are interspersed through the years. However this album is a concentrated dose of songs that grab me through great songwriting, vocal performances, the drums and percussion of Kenny Aronoff, the sound of the band, and the (sometimes implied) revealing of human hopes and failings. The characters and points-of-view throughout the album have vulnerability written all over them, in a most beautiful way. Not leaving off the humor and good times that you hear in "French Shoes" and elsewhere. I liked the video for the title track very much too. I've read interviews where Mellencamp states this is one of his favorite works and I strongly agree with him.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mellencamp rediscovered!, January 11, 2002

By 

Aaron Blight (Westminster, Maryland United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Human Wheels (Audio CD)

For me Human Wheels represents a rediscovery of John Mellencamp. Back in the 1980's, when I was a teenager, John (Cougar) Mellencamp was one of my favorite artists. Two of his albums back then, Scarecrow and The Lonesome Jubilee, were among the most frequent plays in my cassette player. For some reason, since the late 80's I haven't paid much attention to Mellencamp, and I lost track of his music.

I recently bought Human Wheels out of curiosity, remembering how much I liked Mellecamp back in the 80's. This album reminds me why I enjoy John Mellencamp's music so much: the man is unequivocally an excellent songwriter. As demonstrated on this album, Mellencamp writes melodic, infectious hooks with compelling vocal and instrumental arrangements. His songs range from the silly to the serious, from the cynical to the celebratory. I thoroughly enjoy EVERY song on this disc! This album was a great discovery, and now I'm really looking forward to getting updated on all the music Mellencamp made between 1987 and today.

If you've liked Mellencamp's music in the past, or if you like rootsy rock and roll with some groove and pizzazz, then I would recommend this album. It's great!