Other People's Stuff (2018)
1. To the River
2. Gambling Bar Room Blues
3. Teardrops Will Fall
4. In My Time of Dying
5. Mobile Blue
6. Eyes on the Prize
7. Dark as a Dungeon
8. Stones in My Passway
9. Wreck of the Old 97
10.I Don't Know Why I Love You
Leave it to John Mellencamp to name an album Other People’s Stuff—a blunt, no-frills title that tells you exactly what you’re getting. As the name implies, this one’s a collection of covers, but unlike some of his past detours, this record feels surprisingly spirited and, dare I say, fun.
By this point in his career, Mellencamp has made it abundantly clear that he has no intention of revisiting the slick, chart-topping glory of American Fool or Uh-Huh. In fact, he’s been quite vocal in interviews about his distaste for that era, which tends to leave longtime fans scratching their heads as he explores more stripped-down, rootsy terrain. Fortunately, Other People’s Stuff hits a kind of happy medium.
This album taps into the same rustic energy that drove The Lonesome Jubilee, complete with fiddles, accordions, and the dusty charm of front-porch instrumentation. There’s no overproduction here, just Mellencamp doing what he does best when he’s not on a political soapbox—honest, roots-driven Americana. And the best part? He actually sounds like he’s enjoying himself. There’s a looseness in the performances that’s been missing from some of his more somber recent releases.
Most listeners won’t be familiar with the source material, but that almost works in the album’s favor. From bluesy laments to folk revival nuggets, the songs feel like they could’ve been pulled from Mellencamp’s own songwriting notebook. He doesn’t try to reinvent anything here—he just inhabits the material naturally and comfortably.
No, this isn’t an essential piece of the Mellencamp puzzle, but it’s a nice change of pace and a welcome reminder that he can still sound lively when he wants to. Think of it as a well-played, low-stakes backroads detour. It may not take you anywhere new, but it’s an enjoyable ride just the same.
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