Orpheus Descending

昨年リリースされ好評だった『Strictly A One-Eyed Jack』に続く、25作目となる新作が完成。アルバムからの先行トラック"Hey God"が公開されたが、昨今の社会問題についての彼の思いを歌っている。

Orpheus Descending follows quickly on the heels of Strictly a One-Eyed Jack, the 2022 album that found John Mellencamp returning after a five-year silence. There, he invited Bruce Springsteen into the studio for a few songs, a nod to their shared past as heartland rockers. Here, the guest isnt as big a star, but the connection may run deeper. Much of Orpheus Descending features a returning Lisa Germano, the violinist who played with the rocker from 1987s The Lonesome Jubilee through 1998s John Mellencamp, tending to an adventurous solo career all the while. Germanos presence accentuates how Mellencamp is returning to the earthy, rangy roots rock of Big Daddy, a sound that seemed slightly out of time in the 1980s and now feels somewhat traditional; Mellencamps blend of sinewy rhythms and burnished acoustics is recognizably his, yet it draws upon a sound thats now part of a shared past. Its a sound thats aged well, and Mellencamp has aged within it. His voice has been weathered to a nub; he now sounds eternal, even primal. His leathery croak helps give this lean, direct music a gravelly anchor that Germano offsets with her lithe, graceful support. Listening to their interplay gives Orpheus Descending an unexpected emotional kick that helps the record transcend the occasional overly literal lyric from Mellencamp, such as the lead single "The Eyes of Portland." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine