All of Mellencamp's hits on one--er, two--CDs? Sign me up!

The truth is, I have all of Mellencamp's albums, so I don't really need this two-disc compilation. Apparently the record company was betting that most fans of Mellencamp would, in fact, already own all these songs, so they added two new tracks to encourage people to buy. They also slipped in a DVD that features five of Mellencamp's videos.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy Words and Music, despite owning most of the songs already. Besides the two new songs, the DVD is fun. I only wish there were more videos on it. But it is always difficult to take such a large oeuvre of work and pare it down. And Mellencamp has a large quantity of good songs and videos to choose from.

Words and Music is especially ideal for people who have enjoyed Mellencamp on the radio but have failed to make a commitment by buying his CDs. Think of this two-disc set as a "taster's choice" of Mellencamp's work. Even for people who may only be familiar with one or two of his songs, this set can turn them on to some of the best of Mellencamp's backlist.

John Mellencamp's music has always been solid, and Words and Music is a nice showcase for it.