The New Oldies: #9 Album of the Year 2022: John Mellencamp – Strictly a One-Eyed Jack

Something seems to be missing these days. It seems that record companies, radio stations, and streaming services are pushing some the great established musicians to the background. As a result these veteran artists are not getting the attention they deserve. Enter the Top 10 Album Countdown: The New Oldies. The main point is simple – to make this list you must have at least 20 years of producing established music. The album by the artist must have been released between November 1st, 2021 and October 31st, 2022.

#9 John Mellencamp – Strictly a One-Eyed Jack

The mid 1980s saw Bruce Springsteen reach new heights with his music focus a lot on Americana. Simultaneously, John Mellencamp would do also do the same thing. From 1982 through 1988, Mellencamp was on-fire delivering masterpieces such as Scarecrow and The Lonesome Jubilee. Following the release of 1989’s Big Daddy album, there just hasn’t been a lot to get excited about Mellencamp and his music outside of his work at Farm Aid. I believe every musician has at least one more good musical piece left in him. Now 70 plus year’s old, Mellencamp has delivered just that with Strictly a One-Eyed Jack.

The album showcases Mellencamp’s storytelling from an older, more mature standpoint. He delivers storytelling through his raspy vocals with a guitar and string accompaniments that truly shine.

Ironically, the Mellencamp’s features a track with the other artist who saw peaks with Americana music, Bruce Springsteen. Originally Mellencamp started working on Strictly a One-Eyed Jack shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic began. The recording sessions were put on hid in March 2020 when the pandemic began and didn’t resume until 12 months later. Shortly afterwords, Mellencamp invited Springsteen to his recording studio in Belmont Indiana. The duo would end up recording three tracks together: Wasted Day, Did You Say Such a Thing, and the instrumental A Life Full of Rain. It was long overdue to see these two collaborate and the result is fantastic.

The album cover features a portrait of Mellencamp wearing a patch over his eye painted by Mellencamp’s son Speck.

Simply a One Eyed-Jack is an album that really grew on me each time I heard it, and I believe it will grow on you too.