John Mellencamp • No Better Than This
Rounder Records 11661-3284-1
Two 33-RPM 180 g LPs
John Mellencamp was born on October 7, 1951 in Seymour, IN, and the release of this recording represents his 25th album. Previously known as Johnny Cougar, John Cougar, and John Cougar Mellencamp, this prolific recording artist and painter is also one of the founding members of Farm-Aid (Willie Nelson and Neil Young are the others). He has scored dozens of hits over the course of his career, and is mostly known for his heartland rock sound and style. He turns away from that somewhat with this release, as I thought it represented a more country folk, folk ballad, and gospel influenced effort. None of which is surprising considering how and where John and producer/performer T-Bone Burnett wanted the album created.
No Better Than This was recorded in mono using a 1955 Ampex 601 1/4” reel to reel recorder and a single RCA microphone (see LP liner notes for details). The album was recorded in various locations of historic musical significance, such as Room 414 of the Gunter Hotel in San Antonio, TX, where the legendary Robert Johnson first recorded. The other two locations were the First African Baptist Church in Savannah, Georgia, and the studio in Memphis where Sam Phillips first recorded Elvis Presley. It was also the first mono recording to hit the Top 10 since James Brown’s Pure Dynamite! Live At The Royal in April of 1964. The album has received a significant amount of critical acclaim, and if you’re a Mellencamp fan, this most definitely should be in your collection.
Admittedly, I am not very familiar with mono recordings and what they are supposed to sound like, but this album gave me a feeling of Mellencamp playing right in front of me. It had a really live feel to it that I thoroughly enjoyed. There isn’t any soundstage to speak of, but the imaging (depth and placement) were clearly evident and very well done. If this is what mono is supposed to sound like, then I’m all for encouraging artists to try it. The writing is, as usual, a strong part of Mellencamp’s appeal and there are some beauties on here. Love At First Sight is a wonderful ballad about love and separation, and John’s raspy voice (I can hear Bob Dylan) is perfectly suited for it.
Rounder Records has created a wonderfully clean, clear, and quiet product considering this is not an audiophile pressing. The outside edge of the LP is a little rough and almost has a square edge to it, as opposed to being rounded. It doesn’t have any effect on the recording, but more care in manufacturing would have been appreciated. The gatefold cover is outstanding with its matte finish, and the liner notes get an A+ for going back to days of yore, when details such as lyrics, contributing artists, locations, mastering, engineering and other credits abounded.
In summary, I liked this record quite a bit, and I truly enjoyed its mono sound and live feel. It may not be an album that I’ll cue up weekly, but it has honestly earned a place in my collection. I applaud John Mellencamp and T-Bone Burnett for following their dream in wanting to create something out of the mainstream. Well done!