Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)As Mellencamp has aged his music has become more experimental and relaxed, and on "Cuttin' Heads" he continues to evolve in this manner. The opening track, dealing with interracial relationships, is your typical Mellencamp song except this time employing rapper Chuck D. from Public Enemy to do an intelligent rap at the end of the song. The rhytm is purely hip hop country in true Mellencamp style. He mixes black and white music with politics and it turns out nicely. Who can't help but repeat the line "Lay low proud Poppi"? and "Shout It Out". This moves right into the best song on the cd "Peaceful World". A very catchy harmony and chorus of "Come on baby take a ride with me, I'm up from Indiana down to Tennessee, Everything is cool as can be in a peaceful world". Again, a song about racism, well thought out and with the added bonus of India.Arie's vocals and harmonies. "Deep Blue Heart" is unusual for Mellencamp in that this sounds like a ballad, and to my knowledge of 1982's "American Fool" to 1998's "John Mellencamp", he has never really done a straight ahead ballad. This, too, is well crafted, with the help of Trisha Yearwood. At this point in the cd it seems clear that Mellencamp is using a more r&b, soulful sound than on previous records but then you have "Crazy Island", a nice jab at Americans and our egocentric take on the world. "Just Like You" is a sharp, poignant love song about relying on your partner (or whomever) from time to time to bring some happiness and hope into your life. It's side two that things change a bit, and not necessarily for the better..."The Same Way I Do" is rather forgettable but the humor and narcissism of "Women Seem" is interesting and catchy, and then something new comes along like "Worn Out Nervous Condition" which does not strike me as your typical Mellencamp song, and in fact, he alters his voice here to nice effect I think. My least favorite track is "Shy". What was Mellencamp thinking??? At fifty you don't sing a song that has a chorus, "Sexually I'm Shy Shy Shy" even if he's pretending to look through the eyes of a teenage boy, it still doesn't gel and using a reggae beat doesn't quite work for Mellencamp. "In Our Lives" is a nice closing epitaph and summary about there being no right way to live your life and how Mellencamp comments on his own behavior and feelings about his world right now. So, another solid entry from Mellencamp who, in my humble opinion, has far outshined comparisons to Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan as a talent.
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Out of print in the U.S.!American Rock icon and Rock 'N' Roll survivor, John Mellencamp has been creating some of the finest roots-based Rock music for over 30 years.This 2001 album is no exception. 10 tracks. Sony/BMG.--This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.
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