whether nxk'n'roll or not, does carry adiscern- same vein as Nebraska, and not as monumen- ible connection to popular culture. One ig- tal an effort as Born in the USA. Iam not the nores this connection at great peril. Jackson's biggest Springsteen fan in the world, so 1can eschewing of his rock roots recalls the reports readily agree. that Mark Twain resented his own renown Tunnel of Love represents Springsteen's as a teller of humorous stories. I'm also latest works, now that he's married, Live Aid reminded of the aging Leonard Bernstein, behind him, and he's seemingly getting used who, in his desire to legitimize his popular to the fruits of his labors. The album opens masterpiece West Side Story, re-recorded it with "Ain't Got You": with an international operatic cast (DG 415 Igot apound of caviar sitting borne on ice 253-2), the result proving far more refined and /got afancy foreign car that rides like para- immeasurably less alive than the earlier stage dise ligota hundred pretty women knockin' versions (eg, Columbia JS -32603). down my door /And folks wanna kiss me I As to sound: this is literally agold-plated CD, ain't even seen before /I been around the one of Mobile Fidelity's Ultradisc series. The world and all across the seven seas /Been technical information included with the disc paid a king's ransom for doin' what comes posits that the gold coating is far less prone to naturally /But I'm still the biggest fool honey oxidation, and therefore pitting and loss of this world ever knew /Cause the only thing digits, than the standard aluminum surface, so lain 't got baby lain't got you. (c)1987 Bruce it trips aCD player's error-correction circuitry Springsteen (ASCAP) less often. Ididn't have on hand abit-error It's starting to sound like alot of the struggle tester, but can report that this disc presents a is gone, reflecting changes in aman who no big, clean sound. Dynamic range is impressive longer needs to fret over what he used to even for a CD (this even though Iseem to worry about in suburban New Jersey; what detect tape hiss on Symphony; perhaps this cut youth has always worried about: alousy job, was recorded in analog). In fact, it's quite women, cars, and money. The music says there possible that my as-yet-unmodified CD player are still worries, but I've made it .. . and Isee cannot do it justice. I'm sure that my objec- the world alittle differently now. tions to Will Power—sonic and aesthetic— Don't get the impression that this album is are abyproduct of the musical material and complacent MOR or elevator music. It's agood original recording, not the playback medium. record, the 12 songs are very well produced It's not MFSL's fault that there is no ambience and well presented, but they lack the intensity around the orchestral instruments, and that it's that previous outings have conveyed. blatantly obvious that certain instruments were Die-hard Springsteen fans will probably recorded in acloset, then mixed in later. Those disagree, but ayear or two from now Iwonder failings existed from the time of recording. I'm how many will really want to listen to this afraid that, rather than gilding the lily, Mobile album. Fidelity has here gold-plated aturkey. Success-wise, John Mellencamp is no slouch —Kevin Conklin either. From rural America, he sees the country from the point of view of asmall-town Indiana boy. Sure, jobs, women, cars, and money are BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: Thinnel of love important there, too—but the problems that Columbia CK 40999. Bruce Springsteen. Jon 12ndau. Chuck Plotkin, prods. DDD. TT: 46,25 face American farmers have left an indelible JOHN COUGAR MELLENCAMP: The Lonesome jubilee marten that part of the world, and an indeli- Mercury 832 465-1 Q-I. John Mellencamp. Don Gellman, prods. AAD. 17: 3938 ble mark on Mellencamp's music. Mellencamp dropped the "Cougar" show- Both of these albums represent "mid-life" biz pseudonym afew years ago. He's been mar- crises of sorts for these two somewhat similar ried alittle longer than Springsteen (he's even rock stars. Springsteen, the more successful of written asong about his wife; Bruce hasn't). the two, is coming off his incredibly successful He organized Farm Aids 1and 2and now, with Born in the USA, his last studio album, and a children entering his life, his world seems to multi-record live set that saw sales fall as quick- be settling down. It's reflected in his music. ly as they had risen. This new album was The album opens with the hit "Paper in Fire": heralded as a"smaller"-scaled album, in the There is agood life /Right across this green

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