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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Cougar with a sound that hurts so good, March 24, 2004
With American Fool, John Cougar, attained status on the American music scene that would reach its peak during the Scarecrow and Lonesome Jubilee albums, but that was three and five years away, respectively. For now, let's concentrate on 1982 and the singles that shot up the charts, including the #1 single "Jack & Diane." The sounds here are more raw and rock than the more refined material of the mid- to late 80's, some songs encompassing a combination drums and guitar that neared the crunch of AC-DC, such as one of his signature tunes, "Hurt So Good." Most of the songs have pounding pneumatic drums and power guitar chord stomp, and what I'm noticing here is that many other songs could've become singles because of it. In other words, Cougar's moment could've been bigger had this album been given a few more singles. Much like the lines in "Hurt So Good," "sink your teeth right into my bones" and "c'mon baby make it hurt so good," there's a new sort of confidence in the sound and in Cougar himself. "A little ditty about Jack and Diane/two American kids doing the best they can" Well that little ditty went to #1 sure enough, divided into the quiet acoustic verses about the couple, with the transitional refrain of "life goes on/long after the thrill of living is gone" on the inevitable parade of life, leading into that ringing power riff. The thing seems to be that any young couple had better enjoy it, because "change will come around real soon and make us women and men." And break out the vomit bags, for the recognizable power riff and two notes plucked was sampled by Jessica Simpson in "I Think I Love You." Needing that moral backup and set to a style that would come to its fruition in Scarecrow is what "Hand To Hold On To" is about. The hand need not be strong or rich, and there's the need to have some dreams or thrills to live for. There's a bit of self-assured wild loner in the mid-paced "Danger List"; in one moment, he says "I ain't looking for affection" but that next turns to, "give me someone I can look up to/show me someone I can love." The songs ends with the usual crunch chords prevalent in this album. Another could-be single is "Can You Take It" with its opening storm of guitars and a catchy chorus, as is "Thundering Hearts" with its AC-DC crunch. One of the better and more powerful songs here. No, this isn't the Iggy Pop version of "China Girl," as the Coug wrote all his own songs here, and he sings admiringly of a Chinese girl. Had he released this as a single, this might've beaten David Bowie to the punch and people might associate the title of the song to Cougar. A bit of truth there in "I'm close enough for rock and roll," as Cougar proclaims in Close Enough, another song that could've made it as a single, given the same sound defining "Hurt So Good." The album ends with the soft acoustic "Weakest Moments." American Fool further opened the crack in the door that was "I Need A Lover" two albums back, but given the material here, that crack could've been wider. And did that crack turn into a wider peek into the mainstream? Uh-Huh.
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