John Cougar Mellencamp - Cuttin' Heads 
Label: Columbia
Rating: 
 

There is something disconcerting about an established artist jumping on a bandwagon, while the intentions my be genuine it more often then not comes across as trying to latch on to the current trends in order to sell records. With "Cuttin' Heads" John Cougar Mellencamp starts off with two tracks that attempt to land somewhere in between gospel and hip-hop. While the subject matter is relevant in today's socially conscience atmosphere, Mellencamp's attempt here to latch onto an urban feel seems contrived. Sure he has used gospel and blues in the past to good effect but it seems a bit forced here and is too great a departure from his traditional "heartland" rock. 

On the other hand, "Deep Blue Heart", "Crazy Island", "Women Seem", "Worn Out Nervous Condition" are more a return to traditional Mellencamp territory, guitar based middle of the road rock. 

"Cuttin' Heads" is a decent effort from Mellencamp but it is nowhere near his best work to date. His tendency to overdo the backing vocals on his past few releases are really what bogs the songs down, turning them from potential hits to overindulgent album tracks. Mellencamp's strength is his voice and songwriting skill of crafting catchy hooks and compelling storylines. However, with this album those strengths are either overshadowed, as is case of his vocals which are drowned out by accompanying or background vocals on a few tracks or almost none-existent here as the case with his storytelling ability with the exception of the title track which seems too mired in hip-hop for the message to come through clearly.