Big Daddy (1989)
1. Big Daddy of Them All
2. To Live
3. Martha Say
4. Theo and Weird Henry
5. Jackie Brown
6. Pop Singer
7. Void in My Heart
8. Mansions in Heaven
9. Sometimes a Great Notion
10.Country Gentleman
11.J.M.'s Question
12.Let it Out (Let it All Hang Out)
 
For this release, Mellencamp continues
to steadily evolve, and most of it is in a good way. He is still in his
"Americana" phase, which meant lots of country-ish, rustic instruments.
Where this record differs from his last is that the music is much more
quiet, simple and stripped down. Since Mellencamp could (and does so
here) write very memorable melodies, it's not a problem that this record
has evolved so much from his early days of American Fool or Uh-Huh. This is a much more simpler record.
True, he had basically passed his commercial peak at this point.
Fortunately he didn't seem to care, and neither did the critics. It was
work like this one that would one day get him in the Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame, even if there's very little "rock" on here at all. Consider the
most memorable cut Jackie Brown. It's definitely a much more
laid back tune with all acoustic instruments. Mellencamp's message of
the poor, forgotten character is right up front for us to hear, and it
tugs at the heart strings. This was the kind of the thing that he was
so good at when writing and recording.
Sadly, it's when Mellencamp is angry and his vitriol comes out that he
sounds at his worst, and unfortunately that side of his personality is
here as well. He makes a very poor, immature stab and Ronald Reagan on
Country Gentlemen that's so stupid that it's dreadfully
embarrassing.
Most of the record, thankfully, stays away from these kind of messages,
and, yes, Mellencamp is always pissed about something, but his
message - whether it's the feminist cry of Martha Say or the hope
of anything better in Mansions in Heaven is mostly
augmented by very well crafted and memorable melodies - which lends this
album to be one of the best of his collection.
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