Freedom's Road
by John Mellencamp
User Score
7.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 17 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 17
  3. Negative: 5 out of 17

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  1. RogerS
    Feb 4, 2007
    9
    I am a John Cougar fan so this one is like "Scarecrow" and "Paper and Fire" era. The tunes are catchy and everyone is a hit potential. The sound and spirit of folk rock roots. It is good.
  2. GregS
    Feb 6, 2007
    3
    By far his worst. I was a HUGE Mellencamp fan in the '80s. I think The Lonesome Jubilee was his crowning achievement. This is just boring. In his way, he was important once. Not Springsteen, but Bruce Jr. Now he's a caricature of what he was. Don't buy this record!
  3. MartinL
    Mar 1, 2007
    3
    whether it seems like it has a good beat, a good melody, and his voice is on the spot or not, I'm very tired of all of these political songs. Its ****ing cheesy
  4. ToddW
    Feb 12, 2007
    2
    If John Mellencamp continues to offer the music masses dreck like this, perhaps he should change his moniker back to Johnny Cougar. At that point at least we can all play along with the pretense. I mean, writing a lead song specifically for a truck commercial, John? Shame on you. How can you expect anyone with half a brain - most metacritics aside - to take you seriously when you pen If John Mellencamp continues to offer the music masses dreck like this, perhaps he should change his moniker back to Johnny Cougar. At that point at least we can all play along with the pretense. I mean, writing a lead song specifically for a truck commercial, John? Shame on you. How can you expect anyone with half a brain - most metacritics aside - to take you seriously when you pen songs to sell pick-ups? The view from your ivory tower must be pretty smoggy with all of the pollution caused by those trucks you shill for, John. It's obviously affected your mind, causing you to lose it. There are kids half your age currently fighting and dying for your indirect right to purchase those gas-guzzlers, and you add insult to injury with a song to celebrate that fact? Why don't you give Alan Jackson - another person who never met a crisis he couldn't exploit - a call sometime and the two of you can pen a heartfelt ode to those war dead or our late pristine environment. After all, that was our country at one time, too. At least Willie, one of your Farm Aid buddies, is doing something positive in trying to wean us off of our oil fixation. Ol' Spike must be rolling over in his grave knowing what a cultural pimp you've become.… Expand
  5. R.
    Feb 16, 2007
    8
    Pure Mellencamp.
  6. PatrickM
    Feb 2, 2007
    9
    Don't let the Chevy Truck song/Our Country sour you on this CD. The rest of the music is very good with the songs just getting better and better until it peaks with the final cut/the bonus track "Rodeo Clown". Not a home run CD, but definitely a stand-up triple!
  7. Pink
    Feb 23, 2007
    0
    F*ck you mellencamp. Go home.
  8. jamesC
    Feb 4, 2007
    2
    more melancholy mellencamp
  9. AlD
    Feb 8, 2007
    9
    Great sound from John. Glad to see some of the oldies coming out and making thier mark.
  10. CindyE
    Mar 8, 2007
    10
    John hits the mark. Don't be fooled by the overplayed "Our Country". The rest of the album deserves a serious listen. Don't miss "Rodeo Clown", the hidden track 3 minutes after the end of track 10!
  11. ChrisW
    Feb 24, 2007
    10
    A solid American Album.
  12. downtownchuckiebrown
    Mar 23, 2007
    8
    By far mellencamp's most political album. There are definite shades of Scarecrow and The Lonesome Jubilee here but if you are looking for rock riffs - this ain't the place. As one listens to this more and more - it gets better and better. Too bad the truck commercial has tarnished this gem. The most powerful track is the hidden one after #10. (you can change direction with the By far mellencamp's most political album. There are definite shades of Scarecrow and The Lonesome Jubilee here but if you are looking for rock riffs - this ain't the place. As one listens to this more and more - it gets better and better. Too bad the truck commercial has tarnished this gem. The most powerful track is the hidden one after #10. (you can change direction with the gas fires burnin...children with no legs...) It is great to see a performer have a strong social conscience however I can not see this selling well in "Redneck USA"… Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
65

Generally favorable reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. AllMusic
    80
    Song-wise, this is a stronger album from Mellencamp than we had any right to expect, and an excellent from-the-cradle album when we need it most.
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  2. Amazon.com
    70
    This is his State of the Union address, with guitars that chime like the Byrds heralding sentiments that recall the socially-conscious 1960s, yet sound all the more pertinent today.
    Read full review
  3. Billboard
    70
    The garage band feel of the album—which was, in fact, recorded in a garage—breathes new life into Mellencamp's common-man themes. [27 Jan 2007]
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