Review: Happyness - Weird Little Birthday
[Weird Smiling; 2014]
Rating: 7/10
By Ethan Forness, Contributor
Key Tracks: “Weird Little Birthday Girl,” “It’s On You,” “Lofts”
Happiness is a wonderful feeling. Maybe happiness is the feeling of releasing one’s debut album and immediately landing on everyone’s watch lists, which is exactly what London indie rock trio Happyness has done. Influenced heavily by American college indie rock, Happyness gives us its debut full-length Weird Little Birthday just six months after the band released its first EP. Weird Little Birthday is laced with smooth guitar work, British humor, bloodthirsty lyrics and soft vocals.
Happyness makes it hard not to like its music. After adjusting to the band’s blend of indie rock, its influences become immediately recognizable. Weird Little Birthday displays shades of Weezer, Sparklehorse and even The Beatles themselves. Equally impressive is the fact that Happyness formed barely over a year ago.
The record starts off with “Baby, Jesus (Jelly Boy),” which gives listeners an idea of exactly what Happyness is like. Let’s face it, what better way is there to start an album than with “I’m the motherfucking birthday boy / Don’t steal my thunder baby Jesus?” After this, Weird Little Birthday becomes a fluctuating ride of emotions, mood and sound. Although the sound picks up in places, there is a sense of familiarity to Happyness; regardless of how fast or loud it plays, it still gives off a coffee shop rock vibe.
Underlying Weird Little Birthday’s sense of humor are places that are downright creepy. Let’s use “Refrigerate Her” as an example. It’s the most uncomfortable this writer has ever felt while listening to a one minute and 18 second audio clip, yet simultaneously sounds like something straight from the “Scott Pilgrim" soundtrack. “I got a new refrigerator / And I think you’ll fit just fine.” Putting style and genre aside, the sadistic lyrical content of such a short track brings to mind the likes of “A Little Piece of Heaven” a la Avenged Sevenfold.
After two solid tracks found in “Pumpkin Noir” and “Anything I Do Is Alright,” there comes nine minutes of ambient, mellow instrumentation occasionally graced by Benji Compston’s soft sighs. "Weird Little Birthday Girl" defines Happyness’ slow and soft indie rock vibes. Followed immediately by “It’s On You,” Happyness demonstrates its range. "Weird Little Birthday Girl" is an excellent slow jam and when paired with the comparatively faster “It’s On You,” Happyness’ sense of humor is brought back to the foreground.
Maybe the best part of a slow jam indie rock record is what mood one is in when listening to it. Weird Little Birthday covers everything from the awkward party anthem in “Leave The Party” to straight sadism with “Refrigerate Her” and into great ambient music for relaxing via “Weird Little Birthday Girl.” Debut albums like this are hard to come by. Happyness is a name that will be remembered as time goes on and as their popularity from this album skyrockets. Look for this unique indie band to make waves in an already crowded scene moving forward.
