Simply Wonderful
07/29/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Aimless Love is perfectly crafted in simplicity. Prine's successfulness in analyzing relationships and social issues while maintaining a conversational tone without any of the arrogance that tragically inhabits many pretentious songwriters works is remarkable. There is no call for grandiose verbalism when speaking commonly of common matters. The beauty of the album comes from descript lines such as "But youth is a costume And the beauty within lies unfurled" from "The Oldest Baby in the World", a tale of aging - gracefully or otherwise. The other main compliment to the album is how well it plays from beginning to end as a seamless work. Each song is supported upon the delicacy of those that preceed and follow. To put it all simply - this is a very good album and not even his best."
Mature, mournful and moving... possibly his best album
Joe Sixpack -- Slipcue.com | ...in Middle America | 12/10/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If I were pressed, really hard, to pick my favorite John Prine record, this would be it. The gentleness and affection with which Prine approaches human weakness is quite moving, as is his skill expressing it. This is a mature and finely crafted album, with mystifying songs of pathetic love ("Maureen"), mildly scolding morality tales ("Unwed Fathers"), a patent-pending Prine-style nonsense song ("Bottomless Lake"), and the ethereal, life-affirming lullaby, "Only Love." Prine took five years to organize his life so that he could make the records he wanted to make, and the results straight out the gate were pretty impressive. Highly, highly recommended."
For great mixes of emotions buy this.
Richard P. Mondor | Portland, Maine USA | 05/29/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I really love John Prine's music. Aimless Love's title track is the best on the c.d. I also enjoy Unwed Fathers. John Prine has a way of making you think about the way we all treat other people."