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Life Death Love and Freedom
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 18 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 8 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Hear Music
Release Date: 15 July 2008
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Rock
Summary
John Mellencamp latest album was produced by T Bone Burnett who also developed a new audio format promised to help the album sold sound like master tapes.
Also By This Artist: Cuttin' Heads Freedom's Road Trouble No More
Also On The Web: Official Artist Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Billboard
Searching for a ray of lyrical light in John Mellencamp's latest treatise on the state of the world proves consuming—but largely fruitless. That, however, makes the album all the more compelling.
Read Full Review >Rolling Stone
Mellencamp teamed up with producer T Bone Burnett to create a whole new sound--a set of textured, atmospheric folk and country blues that adds up to one of the most compelling albums of Mellencamp's career.
Read Full Review >The New York Times
It’s a brave album in the way it sets aside all his old consolations.
Read Full Review >Boston Globe
Eschewing any concept of "radio ready" and singing with a gruff immediacy, Mellencamp tackles all of the titular concepts on this folk- and blues-based material with a sense of liberation that is keenly palpable.
Read Full Review >Hartford Courant
A moody, stark and hypnotically discomfiting assortment of ruminations.
Read Full Review >PopMatters
Make no mistake, Life Death Love and Freedom is a serious work of art.
Read Full Review >NOW Magazine
Those who’ve come to associate him with theme songs to bad car commercials should check his reawakening on this late-career turnaround.
Read Full Review >Paste Magazine
Blunt and stubbornly engaging, it may be Mellencamp’s most candid effort in years.
Read Full Review >Mojo
Mellencamp croaks a sequence of raw, all but nihilistic yet far from self-pitying first-person tales about, well, death mainly, leavened by the odd rather forlorn reference to the life, love and freedom elements of the title. [Nov 2008, p.111]
Uncut
Bleak but brilliant. [Nov 2008, p.109]
The Phoenix
For the most part Life Death Love and Freedom makes good on--and somehow makes entertainment of--its sober sense of purpose.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly
Though he may be contemplating mortality, Mellencamp, with his weathered snarl, still sounds remarkably alive.
Read Full Review >All Music Guide
Musically, Mellencamp seems to have been listening closely to the first five Bob Dylan albums, paying more attention to the first of them, the largely traditional, folk-blues-styled Bob Dylan, than the last, the folk-rock "Bringing It All Back Home."
Read Full Review >Slant Magazine
His world-weariness feels legitimately earned rather than affected keeps Life from being just an exercise in pessimism.
Read Full Review >Observer Music Monthly
Despite high points --the powerful 'Longest Days'; the romping 'My Sweet Love'; the brooding 'John Cockers'--most of these 14 songs struggle to leave a lasting impression.
Read Full Review >Q Magazine
As the title implies, it tackles the big issues, sometimes at the expense of melody, but there's a handful of very fine songs here. [Nov 2008, p.118]
The Onion (A.V. Club)
With producer T-Bone Burnett stripping his rootsy jangle down to a monochromatic, almost lo-fi rumble, Life Death Love And Freedom practically demands to be called "Mellencamp's darkest yet," but it's really just relentlessly downbeat and one-note.
Read Full Review >Blender
By now he's decided he'd rather be Bob Dylan--recent Dylan, that is, devoted to phlegm-clogged blues-codger grumbles about how he's ready for his pine box. Producer T Bone Burnett proves a willing accomplice. [Aug 2008, p.88]
What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 8.1 (out of 10) based on 8 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
william b. gave it a9:
Mellencamp has never created a classic, all time great album, but has made a lot of excellent ones with a few flaws. Near misses if you will. LDL&F is up there with Scarcrow, The Lonesome Jubilee, Human Wheels and may even be better than than those as a whole.
Roger S. gave it a10:
Okay pull to the LEFT! Right on John! Life Death Love and Freedom from the Guy inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His last record was called "Freedom Road" from 2007 when gas was cheap eh. We Canadian's love John Cougar's American Anthems but this is not rock and roll hit parade stuff. It actually sounds hoarse from one of the most important artist for this Generation X. John Mellencamp sang he forgot about Johnny Rotten was when I bought in to His song writing. John's music is dark and not what you think he should be. It's not a nice view when you get stabbed to death, violence with the knife. Darkness the front cover shows a few bullet holes and John Mellencamp placing himself against the wall. The use of his photo for the CD in a minimalist blues sound. I'd play this in a coffee shop in Vancouver, BC. I saw John Mellencamp on Jay Leno doing "I Saw you First". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with a strong Blues for the smart Left wing folk rock is back. Grow a Beard. I'd Give Mellencamp more if called Himself "the Cougar". THen it's a 10! We went to Killarney where our mascot was a Cougar.....Killarney Cougars and the John Cougar party times SMILE this CD aint like those other songs... Freedom Road (2007) should be listened to then this one to get the whole picture. It's an anthem for now and don't tell anyone. Don't Tell anyone when John dies...giggle. Ok.
Patrick M. gave it a9:
Seems even Mellencamp's harshest critics have admitted this is a damn fine album.
Marc B. gave it a9:
He Is Back With A Monster! Album! Could be his best work yet. Nice to see some artful writings for a change instead of all the bubble gum stuff we hear today.
