Orpheus descending

"Efter en årelang pause udgav John Mellencamp sidste år den fine Strictly a One-Eyed Jack, og nu følger han op med 11 nye tracks, der er mindst lige så aktuelle, vedkommende og godt udførte ... et album, der ikke bare er veltænkt og velspillet, men som vigtigst af alt består af en række slidstærke sange, der fæstner sig i hjernebarken".

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"Orpheus Descending ranks as one of the most commanding and compelling albums of Mellencamp's entire career. A stirring summation of the problems that plague us, it still maintains a sense of optimism".

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"Much of Orpheus Descending features a returning Lisa Germano, the violinist who played with the rocker from 1987's 'The Lonesome Jubilee' through 1998's 'John Mellencamp', tending to an adventurous solo career all the while. Germano's 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; Mellencamp's blend of sinewy rhythms and burnished acoustics is recognizably his, yet it draws upon a sound that's now part of a shared past. It's a sound that's aged well ... [Mellencamp's] 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".

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