With Mellencamp in the HOF after 3 misses, he finally gets his due, and is timing with the release of his 22nd album entitled "The Company we Keep". Mellencamps last album was released early 2007, "Freedoms Road" was a critical success as most of his records have been in the last 20 years, John has been perhaps the most consistent artist, never swaying from his goals. And his goal is to make the listener pay attention to what is written. John wrote 18 songs in 15 days for the new record, which is not yet given an actual release date, but with a summer tour set for the USA and the HOF in March it will land somewhere in the middle. It is also unknown how many of those 18 songs will make the record, though John has already played 7 of them at various shows in 2007. Those tracks so far...


the company we keep
Troubled land
Jena
If i die Sudden
Ride Back home (hey jesus)
Young without lovers
Longest days

the album features most of the band John used on previous records, including Mike Wanchic who has been there since day one, he describes the record as being a very atmosphericc sounding record with acoustic guitars standup bass and more organic sounds.