Human Wheels

*Human Wheels* continues in the heartland rock vein that John Mellencamp had mined so successfully since the early ‘80s. A serious mood pervades the album — the music simmers along in pensive grooves and the lyrics tell stories with less-than-happy endings. Mellencamp tones down his customary swagger as he serves up vignettes of hard-luck old flames (“Sweet Evening Breeze”) and offers snapshots of gritty urban landscapes (“When Jesus Left Birmingham”). There’s a defiant sense of hope to be found in tracks like “To the River” and the title song, underscored by the spirited playing of his exceptional backup group. In the rocking yet tender “What If I Came Knocking,” Mellencamp shows a mature command of romantic balladry. He continues his ongoing war against conformity in the bittersweet “Beige to Beige.” *Human Wheels* is fueled by a blend of acoustic sparkle and electric drive, with Kenny Aronoff’s muscular drumming and Lisa Germano’s shimmering fiddle and mandolin adding distinctive colors.

Following the stripped-down rock & roll of Whenever We Wanted, the somber Human Wheels comes as a bit of shock.