Remember when this ol' boy strummed an acoustic guitar and sang songs that reflected the innocence of a typical Midwestern small town? You probably thought he'd never change, right? Well, it's been said that nothing lasts forever and one need go no further than, Whatever We Wanted for evidence of that. Mellencamp has broadened the borders of his small town to encompass a bigger chunk of the world and his vision of it. From the first coarse riffs ( supplied by new guitarist David Grissom) the changes are obvious. Gone are the acoustic guitars, simple arrangements and stories filled with rural charm. In their place is a raw, all but angry intensity. "Love and Happiness," kicks off the album reminding us that the world we've made isn't a very pretty place to live in. "Well, we're dropping bombs in the Southern Hemisphere, and people are starving / they live right here, and they're tearing down walls in the name of peace / and they're killing each other in the Middle East." If there's any hope, he offers no solutions. On the other hand,"Now More Than Ever" carries with it a more positive message. Not a solution mind you, more like planting the seed of an idea. "Now more than ever the world needs love. / Not just a slogan, but the world needs love." I seem to remember Burt Bacharach writing a similar message more than 20 years ago. It sure didn't do any good then and presumably won't this time either, but at least Mellencamp's heart is in the right place. "They're So Tough," takes a stab at the slimey politicians and "corporate bozos" that run things, and he hits the nail on the head without preaching. "Melting Pot" says pretty much the same thing in a more direct manner and with an angrier tone. After this short stint in Social Comment 101 the rest of the album falls back on the "Boy meets girl/I'm a rebel," theme which Mellencamp is more often identified with. "Again Tonight," is an ode to bar-hopping and picking up women. With warmer weather on the way this will doubtlessly be heard blasting from countless car stereos. The single "Get A Leg Up," another pick-up tune rife with sexual innuendo. "Crazy Ones" is a lament over "loony" women, the kind of women that make good groupies and nothing more. Mellencamp expresses nothing new in these three tunes, but they all rock with a harder edge than we're accustomed to. Of the three remaining songs, one is full of sadness and personal remorse (he's recently divorced) and two express rebellion, Mellencamp style. All in all, Whatever We Wanted, is generally a satisfying album. Actually, Mellencamp should be given credit for sticking to his guns, producing a work that shows no obvious concern for carving a niche in the Top 40 and one that escapes the trappings of the tunnel-visioned hit machine known as the music business. A newfound maturity coupled with a fresh, colorful style has surfaced. This time he did things to satisfy himself and no one else. (SC) © 2000 Dr. Rock'n'Roll
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