Plain Spoken first impressions

[Smalltownboy]

Blue Charlotte and Troubled Man are superb and the highlights of Plain Spoken for me.  Tears In Vain is quite and emotional one that will likely speak to a lot of people and their lost loves.  The music and lyrics blend very well.  Great production.  The raspiness in John's voice works very well with the music.  A truly enjoyable album to listen to.




Mike

[kicker]

John has done what i thought was impossible, he's topped his last two albums. I love the first three songs and ''Blue Charlotte'' and Lawless Times'' the best, they are among John's very finest songs, it's a 5 star album if i've ever heard one.

[Smalltownboy]

I couldn't agree more.  It is a five star plus album.  A must have for anyone who loves John's music and music with depth and emotion.




Mike

[kicker]

A must have for anyone who loves John's music and music with depth and emotion.




Mike

Well stated, i also must add that the sound/mastering of this album is quite an improvement on the last three studio albums. There's dynamic range and an overall ''warmer'' sound that's been missing in John's music for a while now, i do love those three albums though.

[jeannehodge]

I love the album.. Powerful words! I just hope there is more happiness in his life than he is singing about on this album!

[mtotch123]

HA!   Ya!  For sure!!!

-somedays I still don't know what to do-
Mary in Michigan

[littlebastard]

I love the album. Unfortunately "The Isolation Of Mister" allows me to see a lot of myself, as many Mellencamp songs have through the years. My favorites are "Troubled Man", "The Isolation Of Mister", "Company Of Cowards", "Blue Charlotte" and "Lawless Times." I like the entire album and I seem to be learning the words quickly.

If you listen to "Company Of Cowards" when John sings the line "I believe to be true" it gives me a flashback of the line "The only promises I know to be true" from "Golden Gates" on the Uh-Huh album. It is just weird how the line and the way he phrased it took me back to that song.

[TonyBClubManager]

[If you listen to "Company Of Cowards" when John sings the line "I believe to be true" it gives me a flashback of the line "The only promises I know to be true" from "Golden Gates" on the Uh-Huh album. It is just weird how the line and the way he phrased it took me back to that song.
[/quote]

John is such a great and distinctive singer. There are few lines he delivers in CoC that are just him, like the one you reference. It's possible CoC and Golden Gates might be in the same musical key which would help make the comparison easier

[Smalltownboy]

I really like the gruffness of his voice.  It doesn't sound forced, or strained.  It's quite natural.  It blends perfectly with the subtleness of the music.




Mike

[kicker]

I really like the gruffness of his voice.  It doesn't sound forced, or strained.  It's quite natural.  It blends perfectly with the subtleness of the music.




Mike

I couldn't agree more, let's just hope it doesn't get any gruffer ''is that a word'' on future albums and he doesn't end up sounding like Dylan.

[littlebastard]

I think it was during Farm Aid I noticed that he sang with the gruffness in many of the songs, but one toward the end...might have been "Pink Houses"...he kind of came out of it. He was singing in a higher range, and it was more clear. I remember him talking about how not only would the songs have a different feel on NBTT, but the singing would as well.

[turmbird]

"Isolation of Mister" is my top song of the album as today. "Tears In Vain" is growing on and on every time of listening.
these 3 songs (Isolation of Mister, Company of Cowards, Tears In Vain) in a row is fantastic.
I can´t expect receiving the vinyl edition to listen to side A and B. 5 songs each is perfect, this side A looks to be the best since "The Lonesome Jubilee".
I am not a professional music expert, but I find these songs so distinctive, so vintage Mellencamp melodies. I wonder how he takes them from.
delivering once again such great music is a top job! all I can do is say thank you!

[Smalltownboy]

The Isolation Of Mister, Blue Charlotte, Troubled Man, The Company Of Cowards and The Brass Ring are on my top play list.  Every song on this record is terrific though.  When I play the Plain Spoken, I play it in its entirety.




Mike

[mtotch123]

let's just hope it doesn't get any gruffer ''is that a word'' on future albums and he doesn't end up sounding like Dylan.


Have to agree with this....a little 'gruffiness' is good....but not all the time!

-somedays I still don't know what to do-
Mary in Michigan

[Smalltownboy]

The gruffness is what gives Plain Spoken that special something.  The words to the songs have more meaning as a result of John's vocal delivery.




Mike