Orpheus Descending (2023)
1. Hey God
2. The Eyes of Portland
3. The So-Called Free
4. The Kindness of Lovers
5. Amen
6. Orpheus Descending
7. Understated Reverence
8. One More Trick
9. Lightning and Luck
10. Perfect World
11. Backbone
Let’s be honest—if you’ve stuck with John Mellencamp this long, you probably know what you’re in for. At this stage in his career, he’s less the scrappy Midwestern rock-and-roller and more the chain-smoking front-porch philosopher with a beat-up guitar and a bone to pick. And sure enough, this one opens with a song about guns and blood on the floor. Yep—still grumpy, still yelling at the state of the world. But here’s the twist: this time, the music actually shows up to match the message.
Orpheus Descending isn’t a return to the Cougar years (and let’s face it, those days are long gone), but it’s got the kind of grit, fire, and musical drive that Mellencamp hasn’t shown in quite a while. There’s a pulse here. Even when the arrangements lean acoustic and rustic—with all the usual suspects like accordion, fiddle, and dobro—the songs sound full of life, not just tired mutterings from a guy who's seen too much. It’s still the Americana vibe he’s been mining since Scarecrow, but this time it hits harder, sharper.
The tone is weary, sure, but never lazy. His voice is as fried and smoked-out as ever, but it fits the material. And while the lyrics are full of rage, regret, and resignation, they’re delivered with a surprising amount of energy—no small feat for someone whose last few records could’ve doubled as lullabies for the terminally disillusioned.
There’s even a Springsteen track (Perfect World) tucked in among the originals, and the fact that it blends in seamlessly is a testament to how strong and cohesive the rest of the writing is. It’s one of the few times in recent memory that Mellencamp doesn’t just sound like he’s trying to get something off his chest—he sounds like he’s trying to get it across to you.
No, there’s no Hurts So Good or Authority Song here, and no, he still won’t play Jack and Diane in concert, but if he wanted to build a setlist around songs that pack just as much punch, he’d find plenty of candidates on this album. Orpheus Descending proves that late-period Mellencamp doesn’t have to be a slog through bitterness and gravel-throated monologues. He can still write, still fight, and, once in a while, still surprise.
A genuinely solid late-career record. Let’s hope he stays in this groove.
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