A That Writer Guy Giveaway !

Win a copy of Iron Man the Animated Series from That Writer Guy. 

Check our new giveaway page for all the details and look for more giveaways soon!

Mr. Mellencamp's 'Rural Route' Opus

John Mellencamp's new retrospective set, On the Rural Route 7609 is not just another anthology of hits and a scattering of previously unreleased bits. True, you'll find some of his biggest songs here, but they are blended, carefully, with prior album tracks, unheard-until-now numbers, outtakes, and alternate versions. 



The set - a vinyl LP-sized book of sorts, not a "box" - came out in mid-June and takes time to digest. It's an archive on four discs, each thematically arranged, offering new perspectives on his body of work. This is not a collection for the hit-driven fan. For them, the two-disc, compact (and certainly still great) Words and Music fits that bill. Rural Route 7509 is for those want to dig deeper. Much deeper.  

There was a time - a long time ago now - that Mellencamp was considered a solid enough heartland hitmaker, but in the creative shadow of Springsteen,  That changed with visionary albums such as 1985's Scarecrow and 1987's The Lonesome Jubilee. His work since over a quarter century has proven to been compelling, probing and yeah, darn tuneful as well. Motivations, inspirations, whims and focus are explained in detail in must-read liner notes from music journalist Anthony DeCurtis and comments from Mellencamp himself. . Though each disc could be listened to as single piece, let's take it in order.

Disc one begins with acoustic ballad "Longest Days" from the relatively recent Life, Death, Love and Freedom in 2008., a song about the death of Mellencamp's grandmother and how sickness and age together take us. It's followed by her  voice on "Grandma's Theme" from 1985's Scarecrow, as she sings a rendition of the "The Baggage Coach Ahead," a traditional American folk song. Next comes "Rural Route," the collection's semi-title song and a bleak, dark contrast to the nostalgic American images of "Small Town" or "Jack and Diane." Here, drugs, rape and murder infest that beloved once-seemingly idyllic heartland, though most know it was never truly that way in the first place. 

The structuring isn't feel-good in any way, advancing to tracks that include 

"Big Daddy of Them All," yet balanced by a soothing duet with Trisha Yearwood,  "Deep Blue Heart," from 2001's Cuttin' Heads, which then gives way to more brooding on sickness and dying in "Don't Need This Body," then an attempt at easiing troubles with "Forgiveness." The lyrics found in "Jenny at 16" reveal "Jack and Diane" in progress, flowing into that #1 hit from the '80s that made the then-John Cougar a big star.

Disc two opens with a spoken-word reading of "The Real Life" from 1987's John Mellencamp album by actress Joanne Woodward. Again, it's a new perspective, in this case of his words alone. Mellencamp calls  "Ghost Towns Along the Highway," the "sister song" to "Rain on the Scarecrow" as ways of life in America disappear. Originally written for Johnny Cash during his American Recordings sessions, but never tracked, "The Full Catastrophe," from Mr. Happy Go Lucky in 1996 bumps into an acoustic demo sung with a Jamaican lilt of the "I Fought The Law"-ish "The Authority Song." 

Politics flare up with seething anger in "Troubled Land" and the scathing anti-George Bush "To Washington," the latter a song that brought out right-wing hate against Mellencamp. An alternative take of "This Country" (to many, a good song marred when it became a Chevy ad theme) looks for affirmations in the American ideals including key lines such as "There's room enough here for science to live/And there's room enough here for religion to forgive."  Roaming over political landscape continues on with "Country Gentleman" from '89 and clearly about Reagan, the conflicted "Freedom's Road" and an acoustic-rendition of the Bill Clinton-inspired "Mr. Bellows." Bush is targeted again in "Rodeo Clown" which gives way to hope again through the Rough Harvest version of organically funky "Love and Happiness" and the anthem "Pink Houses," given a new context in this setting.

 For Disc three, things kick off with a live, blues-washed "If I Die Sudden" and raw-rocking "Someday," then downshifts for the bittersweet reflection of a 1999 recording of "Between a Laugh and a Tear," one of the best songs from Scarecrow 14 years earlier. An alternate version of the biographical "Void in My Heart," recorded at Chess Records buttressed against a version of Son House's "Death Letter." A recent, acoustic version of "Sugar Marie" dating back to 1979's John Cougar, shows it may have the the production and marketing at the time that kept an emerging artist in check.

The run of songs on this groupoing also include the electro-beatgospel of "When Jesus Left Birmingham" from 1993's Human Wheels, something of a throwaway in "L.U.V." from 1994's Dance Naked and gospel blues for "Thank You.  In "Women Seem", recorded in 2001 Mellencamp says in the packages liner notes that it's his view of his ongoing lady troubles over the years while also plagiarizing The Kinks'  Ray Davies.  There's more delta-grounded blues in "This World Don't Bother Me None" from 2004, which until now was only used in a documentary. A demo of the sweet look-back hit "Cherry Bomb" is another curious archival moment, Mellecamp alone on just an autoharp. A new track, "Someday the Rains will Fall" comes from sessions for Mellencamp's next studio set, No Better than This; it's stark, just voice and acoustic guitar, recorded in mono on vintage, circa-40s equipment the Houston hotel room said to be where blues legend Robert Johnson was also recorded. Another duet ends this song set, Karen Fairchild joining Mellencamp for the spiritually-imbued  "A Ride Back Home."

The cheerier rock-along tune, "My Aeroplane," launches the fourth and final disc, which also includes Mellencamp's version of "Colored Lights," the song he wrote for 1980s L.A. roots-rockers, The Blasters.The soulful "Just Like You" is a remembrance for a friend who died and the acoustic "Young Without Lovers," almost sounds like a lost hit, had it be punched up more for radio's fussy parameters. Another acoustic treatment of an old song, "To M.G. (Wherever She May Be)" dating back to 1980 is another more personal piece, with a tone that matches 1993's folksy "Sweet Evening Breeze" which follows. One of the few harder rocking tracks on the set, "What if I Came Knocking" almost seems the odd rocker out, yet works, a burst of bravado met by the murder tale of "County Fair" and then a solo acoustic yes stirring reading of "Peaceful World", the 2001 hit duet with India.Arie. Liner notes address the song's view of contemporary racism and reveal it was thriving and ugly at Mellencamp's own record label at the time. One of his finest songs in the past dozen years is next, "Your Life Is Now," a pop record as a challenge to one's own ethics and convictions. The last track is an alternate take of "Rural Route," even more claustrophobic and tension-wrought than the version on the first disc and with an extra verse of cautionary words: "Loneliness and isolation on the rural route/Slowly change the look of this nation from the rural route."

This isn't a party, far from it. That might be another collection in the future, perhaps one of concert tracks from over the years or perhaps live material and also one-time b-sides (now on reissued albums on bonus tracks) such as "Shama Lama Ding Dong." For now, Mellencamp's traveling those dark paths and as it stands, On the Rural Route 7609 is not just another 'box set."  It's not the ultimate chronology of his work for more than 30 years. It's not something for a single sitting. A good part of the selections come from his past decade, which finds him as a vital as ever, charts. radio and all be damned. It's Mellencamp's opus, a treatise on a decaying America where that hope and good still lives. But you have to find it and that's the hardest part of the journey.

John Mellencamp is touring this summer with Bob Dylan and you won't find a better double-bill out there (except, perhaps Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on dates with the Drive-By Truckers). You'll find tour info on Mellencamp's official website.

DC Comics Go Digital in Deals with comiXology and Playstation

Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, The Flash and more have gone digital as DC Comics Wednesday (June 23) announced the launch of a partnership with comiXology and PlayStation Network for two separate digital comics distribution deals.

In a press release issued from New York and Burbank, Calif. by DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution, DC Comics Co-Publisher  (and superstar artist) Jim Lee said, "It has been a top priority that DC forges a meaningful, forward-looking digital strategy. As both a comic book creator and Co-Publisher, it was incredibly important that our plan includes not only creator incentive payments, but also an innovative component that supports comic shop owners. We see digital as an opportunity to grow our entire business.”

Initial offerings from both distribution networks will include titles from DC Comics, Vertigo and WildStorm, including acclaimed series such as Batman: Hush, Green Lantern: Rebirth,  Fables: Legends in Exiles and Planetary: All Over the World and Other Stories.

The digital comics will be available through a free DC Comics app for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch; a DC Comics-branded storefront, located in the Comics by comiXology app for the same trio of devices and also via a DC Comics-branded storefront on the web at Comics.comiXology.com.

The prices depend on the title and range from $.99 to $2.99 per issue. For example current mini-series, "Justice League: Generation Lost," will be available via both platforms with each issue’s print edition on-sale date,  both the digital and print editions priced at $2.99. Several comics will be available for free at launch, including the first installment of the ZUDA series "Bayou" and select stories from Batman: Black and White.

DC Comics is offering a free 10-page preview of the 700th issue of Superman  available through both platforms,  According to the comic company, the story is a prelude to writer J. Michael Straczynski (Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, Thor, Brave and the Bold, Superman: Earth One) and artist Eddy Barrows’ “Grounded” story arc,  which will, "examine how Superman sees America, and how America sees Superman." DC  Co-Publisher Dan DiDio calls it "a major turning point in the history of Superman,"  with "the potential to generate national headlines and bring new readers the series.”

The comiXology program will launch with more 100 issues, from DC Comics, Vertigo and WildStorm, including the first issue of All Star Superman.  One issue of Neil Gaiman’s acclaimed Sandman will be available as a digital exclusive. Look for over 100 additional issues from the company’s imprints w each month. 

For comic shops that might wonder how this will impact their business, there's a "Retailer Affiliate Program," which will collect a portion of digital revenues to be invested back to and on behalf of comic book retailers in a variety of initiatives. But what those initiatives are to support shops nationwide is not yet clear.

The PlayStation program will launch with more than 80 DC, Vertigo and WildStorm issues including the alread-historic first 25 issues of Superman/Batman, featuring story arcs such as "Public Enemies" and "Supergirl," the former inspiring the DC/Warner Premiere DVD and Blu-ray releases.  Comic book titles based on videogame properties, including Free Realms, God of War and Resistance, will be made available digitally exclusively on the PlayStation Store for the PSP system. Over 50 additional issues will be offered each month, priced from $.99 to $2.99 each via the PlayStation Network.

Major Comics companies Marvel, Dark Horse and Image Comics are also availble for the iPad as well, while other publishers on the Digital Reader service, which launched in December 2009, include Marvel, Disney, IDW and 2000AD.

Springsteen's 'London Calling' Hyde Park DVD

Last summer Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band played two landmark back to back concerts in the UK - the Glastonbury Festival and Hard Rock Calling in London.  The latter is now out as a two-DVD set, also on Blu-ray as London Calling Live in Hyde Park.

It's been 9 years since the reunion tour DVD/CD of Live in New York City, 7 years since Springsteen's last contemporary concert offering on E Street, the post 9-11 Live in Barcelona. In-between he gave us a revealing VH-1 Storytellers solo set and also the playful, tradition-minded, yet truly Americana in scope Live in Dublin with the Sessions Band on DVD and CD. But there was little live audio or video (well, official, at least) from the 2007-2008 MagicTour (and magic it was). Now comes this release, shot during the latter part of the Working On a Dream Tour, which seemed to get more surprise-filled in shifting songs sets especially into the homestretch in the USA as Springsteen then played entire albums during a show, such as Born to Run and even, before a delirious New York audience, The River.

Springsteen and company are in fine form here for a bunch of self-effacing "old folks" in their '50s and '60s. They're rough-hewn, yet ever-tight when they need to be and more than rock the house of tens of thousands during a full-blown nearly two-and-half-hour show that was part of the 2009 London Calling festival in Hyde Park.  They'd just come off a victory at Glastonbury, which also deserves some DVD documentation, but more on that later.

The concert was filmed in HD, overseen by producer and editor Thom Zimny and director Chris Hilson, both with Springsteen for years now and the audio was mixed by the king of clarity - and his last name couldn't be truer - Bob Clearmountain. And the band? The earth-shaking, booty-shaking, viagra-taking E Street Band deliver: Van Zandt and Nils Lofgren on guitars, Clarence 'Big Man" Clemons on sax, Gary Tallent on bass, "Mighty Max" Weinberg on drums (how does he still hit so hard?), "Professor" Roy Bittan on piano, Charlie Giordano on keyboards, now settled in after the loss of Danny Federici in 2008, and sister Soozie Tyrell on violin. As Kid Leo of WMMS, Cleveland said on a radio broadcast 32 years ago, eventually bootlegged all over the world, "Round for round, pound for pound, there ain't no finer band around."

The band opens with The Clash's "London Calling" in tribute to the late Joe Strummer.  It's pounding, it's raw and Springsteen's best friend since they were teens, "Little Steven" Van Zandt, pushes him hard to drive forward. Then, the band slams into "Badlands," the first of numerous anthems. The crowd is already beyond charged as the group gives way to the racing "Night" and then, the Bo-Diddley-grounded beat of "She's the One," with harmonica, just like back at the The Hammersmith in 1975.

There's power, there's passion. To spare. There's a ton of sweat and you can see it (it looks even wetter on Blu-ray). As great as "Out in the Street" was a burst of joy and community on Live in New York City, it's perhaps more incredible here. The visions of hope and Bruce-at-the-pulpit breakdown of "Working on a Dream" shifts into the recession-fighting trio of the scorching and thunderous "Seeds," dustbowl rockabilly of "Johnny 99" and a fierce and haunting "Youngstown."

Out come the request signs as he gathers 'em up - now a show tradition though it started just a few years ago.  The band's goofy and giddy for a version of The Rascals "Good Lovin'," which it played several times before on the tour, then it's a achey "Bobby Jean" off Born in the USA, followed by the tension-and-release take on Jimmy Cliff's "Trapped," which the band first began covering back around 1981. Brian Fallon of The Gaslight Anthem, one of Springsteen's favorite young bands (and from New Jersey, too) comes out for a duet of "No Surrender" and gives it his all (Springsteen had joined them earlier in the day, as he had at Glastonbury as well, for the group's "The '59 Sound." Yeah, he's a fan).

It's sing-along time for "Waiting On a Sunny Day," another anthem in "The Promised Land" to blow away those dreams that break your heart. An elegaic "Racing in the Streets" is the band at its orchestral best. Next, a run of songs to uplift, including "Radio Nowhere," "The Rising" and still power-driving -woah- "Born to Run." Is there any younger, yet big band really doing this on a stadium or even arena scale?  U2 isn't that much younger, so perhaps Muse? 

That all-time fan fave "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)" puts in a dizzy appearance, ballanced by the folksy rendition of an all-too topical now Stephen Foster's "Hard Times (Come Again No More)." The epic "Jungleland" slams into the celtic rock of "American Land" and "Glory Days" is ever silly fun while "Dancing in the Dark" rocks, as it has in recent years, much more than it's synth-pulse hit beginnings back on MTV.  Another cover, Eddie Floyd's "Raise Your Hand," another band staple since the late '70s, plays over the credits.

The second disc adds a bit of bonus material with "The River" from Glastonbury, just a day before, along with  "Wrecking Ball," written for the group's dates to close down New Jersey's Giants Stadium as the last show or sporting event there. While Glastonbury featured a similar set list, another disc with that footage plus various cover songs from various tour stops in Europe and America would've been a real treat. But even as is, Live in Hyde Park is a gift and should be anything but a farewell for possibly the greatest live band in the history of rock'n'roll.  So, how about an audio version with some other bonus live tracks. A 3-CD set? Why not?  Or maybe downloads....

(concert photos by Jo Lopez)

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band

 London Calling Live in Hyde Park

Setlist:

DISC 1 

1. London Calling 2. Badlands 3. Night 4. She's The One 5. Outlaw Pete 6. Out In The Street 7. Working On A Dream 8. Seeds 9. Johnny 99 10. Youngstown 11. Good Lovin' 12. Bobby Jean 13. Trapped 14. No Surrender 15. Waitin' On A Sunny Day 16. The Promised Land 17. Racing In The Street 18. Radio Nowhere 19. Lonesome Day

DISC 2 

1. The Rising 2. Born To Run 3. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) 4. Hard Times (Come Again No More) 5. Jungleland 6. American Land 7. Glory Days 8. Dancing In The Dark 9. Credits (Raise Your Hand)Raise Your Hand (Instrumental) 10. The River (Glastonbury) 11. Wrecking Ball (Live at Giants Stadium)