John Mellencamp

Plain Spoken: From The Chicago Theater

REPUBLIC

Mellencamp live and in his own words.

This is a live DVD with a difference, because what you get throughout is Mellencamp himself talking about his life and philosophy as a running commentary overlaying the performance. It’s an unusual approach, and one that adds an extra dimension. However, it does begin to get irritating, because what Mellencamp has to say inevitably distracts from the music onstage. So every time you get hooked on the live set, suddenly you’re being distracted by the man and his commentary. That’s a pity, because Mellencamp and his band are clearly in prime form, and he also has Carlene Carter guesting impressively with him.

Both elements work well separately. But the idea of putting them together detracts from each, thereby meaning this experiment isn’t quite a triumph. Still, it’s not a disaster, either.

Malcolm Dome