Icon Magazine 4 out of 5 Stars No Better Than This Review
John Mellencamp opted for a back-to-basics
approach on Nothing Better Than This.
Recorded in monaural sound with a single
microphone and a 55-year-old tape recorder,
the album’s 13 songs have an old-time feel
with its mix of blues, folk and country but deliver
a contemporary message.
Mellencamp and his six-piece band hit the road to record the album at locations around the country: Sun Studio in Memphis, the First African Baptist Church in Savannah, Ga., and the San Antonio, Texas, hotel room where blues legend Robert Johnson recorded. The recording locations affected the music. The title track evokes the spirit of ‘50s Sun rockabilly. The yearning “Thinking About You” recalls classic gospel with its emotional
directness.
“Save Some Time to Dream,” the CD’s folk/ country opener, is a reminder to stay focused on the important things in life. “Don’t let your time slip away or be stolen by someone else,” he warns. “The West End” is a cautionary tale about chasing the fool’s gold of life. Mellencamp’s on-the-road musical odyssey pays artistic dividends.
Mellencamp and his six-piece band hit the road to record the album at locations around the country: Sun Studio in Memphis, the First African Baptist Church in Savannah, Ga., and the San Antonio, Texas, hotel room where blues legend Robert Johnson recorded. The recording locations affected the music. The title track evokes the spirit of ‘50s Sun rockabilly. The yearning “Thinking About You” recalls classic gospel with its emotional
directness.
“Save Some Time to Dream,” the CD’s folk/ country opener, is a reminder to stay focused on the important things in life. “Don’t let your time slip away or be stolen by someone else,” he warns. “The West End” is a cautionary tale about chasing the fool’s gold of life. Mellencamp’s on-the-road musical odyssey pays artistic dividends.