Search - John Mellencamp :: American Fool (Rpkg)

Two era-defining singles, magnificently remastered!

M J Heilbron Jr. | Long Beach, CA United States | 06/07/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"OK. The Mellencamp on display here was nowhere to be seen prior to "American Fool."

If you listen to all his albums, in chronological order, one after the other, the second you get to "Hurts So Good", you sense something different.

This guy sound confident, assured. Brash, crystal-clear production.

The melody isn't catchy, it's irresistible. This is a classic pop song.



Then comes "Jack and Diane", a song that went from hit to overplayed to ridiculed to beloved classic. It's his prototype of story songs he had previously failed with, but was to soon master.

The drums simply thunder from your speakers...the remastering process shines here. The hand claps, the sizzling hi-hats...

...this is a chance for even the most jaded Mellencamp fans to rediscover this song, and fall in love with all over again.



Those two songs aren't just great singles, they're amongst the defining songs of an era...



The remainder of the album doesn't (...couldn't...) live up to those two songs, but there are some killer tunes left over. "Hand to Hold Onto" is a sunny single... the bonus track, "American Fool" is better than most of the other songs on the record too!



The classic artist we know and love first rears his head here."

John Mellencamp's Breakthrough Album Just Got Better

The Footpath Cowboy | Kingston, NY United States | 08/12/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"AMERICAN FOOL, John Mellencamp's first big hit album, has just gotten better, thanks to digital remastering and the addition of the title song as a bonus cut. The songs are basic party fare, for the most part, but also include some more serious material as well. Any Mellencamp fan should buy this one."

Fool's So Good

Thomas Magnum | NJ, USA | 06/26/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"American Fool was John Cougar's major breakthrough. The album was buoyed by two major hits "Hurts So Good" and "Jack & Diane". The former has a heavy guitar riff that sounds like a motorcycle revving up and it S&M stylings perfectly fit the leather clad rebel rocker image he had at the time. The former has an equally memorable guitar riff, but the song is a reminiscence about days gone by and dealing with growing up. "Hurts So Good" went to number two and "Jack & Diane" became his only number one single and both songs ended up among the ten biggest of 1982. The rest of the album contains some equally pleasing tracks like "Thundering Hearts", "China Girl", "Danger List" and "Hand To Hold On To". The album also went to number one and so far is the only one of his to do so.

The bonus track on this album is the would be title track and it should have been included on the original release."