I like Porch Music.
John Fahey referred to it as Volk.
An experience that happens when the power goes out and the session is called off, but the itch to play remains. You're left with an empty pan, acoustic guitar, a drum kit if you're lucky, and in my case, an accordian.
Human.
Organic.
Cuing from Americana/ Appalachia, nary a gated a reverb or pop hit-autotune here, this production speaks simply of song. What we auralists have come to know as "production" is put in the lcoset for this record and Production (big P) is embraced as the purpose. Knowing, feeling and riding one's performance to create soul that allows one to sit back and absorb the intangible of musical appreciation. Without days labored over THE snare sound or self-concious punch-ins to fix that ONE note (which tends to become ALL the notes), Production becomes the approach to and focus on, the performance.
"No Better Than This" is pure performance.
Here, John Mellencamp's voice is a national treasure... unadulterated, save some 7.5ips tape slap... Gravely like that backwoods road, dripping sweet like the honey-jar stick. True.
The rest of the ensemble delivers a sound like hot coal fire; snapping ferociously then subduing to that softest of glows. The audio engineer, the Witness, netted these beautiful tones... sepias - dusty breeze - dirt waltzing thru the corners of one particular hotel room - cobwebs drift as lace of the late afternoon heat -
John Mellencamp has surely been offered the parchment of the crossroads - the devil deal of timeless, glorious art - Best delivered from the Porch.
