![]() With a mid-tempo, country inflicted melody, Mellencamp uses a card game as a metaphor for all kinds of things that one encounters in life. Two singles that are already available, the aforementioned “Wasted Days” along with the harmony-drenched “Chasing Rainbows” – both standout tracks on Strictly A One-Eyed Jack – bookend the almost title track (called “Simply” instead of “Strictly” – neither word is said in the song, so it could easily just be titled “One-Eyed Jack”). Mellencamp has suffered the loss of many close to him over the past 20 years, so this could be about any number of people, or even about all of them. Lifted by a beautiful saxophone, an instrument not often heard on Mellencamp recordings (he generally favors the violin to add color to his sonic palette), “Gone So Soon” laments the loss of a close friend or relative who has passed away too young. Most of the songs on Strictly A One-Eyed Jack are deadly serious – this is just pure fun. With a swampy melody that is insidiously catchy, “Did You Say Such a Thing” features Springsteen harmonizing with Mellencamp on the chorus as it throws shade over three verses at a person for “talking smack about me” in a song that is not a true duet like “Wasted Days,” the album’s first single, most definitely was (Springsteen does not have any lead vocal duties here), but those familiar with Springsteen’s voice will instantly recognize his unmistakable tone once the chorus kicks in. The first of three collaborations with Bruce Springsteen on Strictly A One-Eyed Jack, “Did You Say Such a Thing” is the closest thing the record has to a pure pop song. ![]() ![]() The throbbing, bass-heavy melody is one of the record’s most memorable, as the narrator looks to reconnect with a lost love: “Sweet Honey Brown” is Strictly A One-Eyed Jack's only love song, but that doesn't stop it from having ominous tones. ![]() Sensitive listeners beware – Mellencamp drops a F-bomb that only adds to the already stark mood and urgent nature of this deeply affecting tune. This song is somewhat akin to “The Isolation of Mister,” from 2014’s Plain Spoken, as it’s another song of a man taking stock of the person he’s become, and Mellencamp delivers it in a resigned, but extremely effective vocal that is just above a whisper. The melodic “Streets of Galilee,” with sparse musical accompaniment, is one of record’s strongest tracks. On the thumping “I Am Man That Worries,” Mellencamp spins a tale of a troubled man whose mind is far from free, but who is quick to remind “you better get out of my way.” Far from lighthearted subject matter to be sure, but an enjoyable listen nonetheless. “Driving in The Rain” is up next, and while the music is more uptempo than on its predecessor, there’s a certain resignation in the lyrics, which appear to be about aging, as underlined in the song's opening lines: This opening track certainly falls into the ballad category and it has a definite Tom Waits vibe throughout, from the minor key melody, to the stark piano arrangement, to Mellencamp’s grizzled vocals. The album begins with “I Always Lie to Strangers,” which Mellencamp debuted a live version of during last September’s Farm Aid benefit. One of the most diverse albums in his discography, Strictly A One-Eyed Jack is a mix of snappy folk rockers mid-tempo meditations and slow, languishing ballads that focus on mortality, aging and the state of the human condition from the perspective of a man who knows he doesn’t have much time left on this mortal coil. John Mellencamp’s 25th album, Strictly A One-Eyed Jack, arrives January 21st, and it’s one of the most compelling LP's of his 45-year career. There’s nothing written about this album anywhere just yet, so this is the first look at it. Has anyone heard this yet? I was just sent the following review and found it very insightful.
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