Uh-Huh [LP]

Personnel: John Cougar Mellencamp (vocals); Larry Crane, Mike Wanchic (guitar); Toby Myers (bass); Ken Aronoff (drums); Louis Johnson, Willie Weeks, Carroll Sue Hill, Jay Ferguson.
Recorded at the Shack, Jackson County, Indiana in July 1983.
For 1983's UH HUH, the follow-up to his breakthrough album, AMERICAN FOOL, John Cougar reclaimed his real last name--Mellencamp--while keeping "Cougar" as a middle name. The change is significant, since UH HUH still features the swaggering rock & roll of John Cougar, in the form of the raucous "Crumblin' Down" and the defiant "Authority Song," while pointing towards his more mature John Mellencamp days with "Pink Houses," a celebration of small-town America. The aforementioned tunes were all major hits for Mellencamp, and they make up the first three songs on this front-loaded record. The rest of UH HUH, however, is not to be overlooked. "Warmer Place to Sleep" works an energetic Stones-y riff, "Serious Business" is a kissing cousin to "Crumblin' Down" and the earlier "Hurts So Good," and "Golden Gates" proves to be a gentle closing number. For a potent dose of Mellencamp's "heartland rock," look no further than this album.