John Mellencamp took his signature blend of
Stonesy rock and folk as far as it could go on
Big Daddy, so he wisely returned to straight-ahead rock & roll with
Whenever We Wanted.
Uh-Huh was the last record he made that rocked as hard and consistently as this, and his songwriting had improved considerably in the years since that breakthrough release. Which means, of course, that
Whenever We Wanted is more consistent than the earlier record, but it never reaches the highs of
Uh-Huh. Even its best moments ("Love and Happiness," "Get a Leg Up," "Whenever We Wanted," "Again Tonight") shine because of their craftsmanship, failing to achieve the kinetic energy of his earlier work.
Whenever We Wanted remains a solid record, but it's one that feels like a holding pattern. [In 2005 Universal remastered
Mellencamp's catalog and included an extra cut on each title.
Whenever We Wanted contains a completely throwaway "London Club Mix" of "Love and Happiness" remixed by
Ralph Jezzard. It was originally the B-side of the Again Tonight CD single.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine