Review: Basic Mellencamp on 'Cuttin' Heads'

By Greg Rolnick
Special to CNN

John Mellencamp
"Cuttin' Heads"
Columbia Records

(CNN) -- On his 18th album, "Cuttin' Heads," John Mellencamp once again delivers a solid set of what has been dubbed "heartland rock." The man who once sang "ain't that America" in "Pink Houses" hasn't lost touch with his Midwestern roots; even the pensive portrait of Mellencamp on top of an American flag on the album cover exudes patriotism.

This album is much more of a lyrical exploration than a musical one. Sticking to his basic framework of acoustic guitar, bass, drums, and fiddle, Mellencamp's songs do not veer from the established musical path he has blazed over the past 25 years. Then again, do his fans really want him to?

Mellencamp enlists several guest artists to help flesh out his work -- the latest trend in music. But, in an interesting twist, he has chosen artists who represent music's recent past, present and future: Chuck D, of the groundbreaking rap group Public Enemy; country songbird Trisha Yearwood; and the promising soul chanteuse, India.Arie. The guest artists all appear within the first three tracks of the album, allowing Mellencamp to become the sole focus of the remaining seven.

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Listen to music from John Mellencamp's 'Cuttin' Heads': 'Cuttin' Heads' WAV sound (192K) 'The Same Way I Do' WAV sound (195K) 'Shy' WAV sound (161K)

Looking beneath the surface

The opening title track is a bluesy, funk expedition that tackles the prickly situation of modern hip-hop semantics -- namely, the prevalent use of the N-word and how it affects all audiences.

Chuck D, an elder statesman of rap, launches into an embittered attack on the current crop of artists who use the N-word as freely as any other. He points out that although they think they are demystifying this hateful slur, in reality they are only empowering others to use it as well:

"If I use it and confuse it/With a term of love/Now popular culture/Can't stop 'til it gets enough."

Mellencamp and his backup singers follow Chuck D's verse with a powerful chant, bolstering the argument.

Mellencamp's favorite lyrical subject remains America itself, and the song "Crazy Island" is an interesting deconstruction of what makes it, for better or worse, unique. Sailing along on a catchy acoustic guitar riff, the song could easily become background music for a patriotic commercial.

But like his hit "Pink Houses," it pays to look beneath the catchy surface and dig around a bit. After all, "In this land of easy millions ... you're some kind of crazy island."

Too easy

Perhaps the most successful track on the album is "The Same Way I Do." Mellencamp's pleading voice quivers with the same fragile intensity as the slide guitar that slinks along underneath. His lyrics and instrumentation work in tandem, as opposed to one part of the musical equation being more substantial than the other.

But while the songwriting is not lacking in punch and emotion, musically, each track rolls into the next with a bit too much ease.

Social politics aside, "Cuttin' Heads" walks the straight and narrow through the heart of America. Mellencamp has returned to his standard writing style, and to his credit, it is a substantial one. He has created a good album, but not a great one.

For those seeking stability and familiarity, this may be just the musical balm they need. But for those looking for more signature anthems or riskier sonic explorations will just have to wait for Mellencamp's next work.