Originally published August 12, 2002 on Blogcritics.org
Johnny Cougar’s come a long way since “Jack and Diane.” Have you heard this CD? I doubt it. Fifty-year old groovemakers rarely burn up the sales charts (unless you’re Bruce Springsteen). Nevertheless, Cuttin’ Heads is John Mellencamp’s best CD since Human Wheels.
Mellencamp revisits his favorite themes: racism, hypocrisy, America, women and getting older. The best songs on the CD feature guest vocalists Chuck D pontificates on the popularity of the n-word in the CD’s title track. India.Arie is featured prominently on the anti-racism song, “Peaceful World.” Tricia Yearwood adds texture to the touching “Deep Blue Heart”
“Worn Out Nervous Condition” is outstanding and deserves to be a hit single; I can imagine Aimee Mann or Sheryl Crow remaking this song. Mellencamp felt confident to experiment with reggae on “Shy,” and the experiment was successful.
Cuttin’ Heads was released a month after 9/11. In this context, the most interesting song on the CD is “Crazy Island”: “And Hey Hey America / You’re wrapped up in your red, white and blue / Hey Hey America / Wrapped up in yourself and your red, white and blue / Hey Hey America / You’re some kind of crazy island.” It’s a safe assumption that the song was written before the terrorist attack; Americans sure felt as if we were on a crazy island that day.
Cuttin’ Heads is the perfect CD to buy if you gave up on Mellencamp during the ’90s. The percussion-heavy, acoustic guitar-driven grooves are all there. A solid effort by the man who some refer to as “the poor man’s Bruce Springsteen,” and who Stephen Thomas Erlewhine calls “the Rodney Dangerfield of rock and roll.”
Will Leon 