**1/2 John Mellencamp

MR. HAPPY GO LUCKY

(Mercury)

He's no longer writing catchy sing-along hits or giving away "Pink Houses" on MTV, but John Mellencamp still puts out a solid -- if underappreciated -- album every year or so. Mr. Happy Go Lucky features Mellencamp (and 16 session players) in top form -- somewhere between the blaring electric guitar-laden Whenever We Wanted (1991) and 1994's more stripped down Dance Naked. Acoustic guitar and Mellencamp's cigarette-destroyed voice lead the way on most of Mr. Happy Go Lucky's 12 tracks, but electric guitar is never far behind. What keeps the album's songs above typical bar-band fare, though, is quirky instrumentation. Added to his by-now-familiar violin are mandolin, vibes, trombone and, on one song, a tuba. Mellencamp also continues to experiment with dance beats on "Emotional Love" (which was written by bandmember Toby Myers). "Circling Around the Moon" and "Life Is Hard" are bland because Mellencamp doesn't try to stretch on them. And the "Overture" that begins the album is a bit silly. But this is a welcome serving of new Mellencamp.

-- Mark Bazer