Local Review: The happies – Meet the happies

THE HAPPIES
MEET THE HAPPIES

The Happies = Nick Drake + Brian Jonestown Massacre

The questions you should ask yourself right now are: Why haven’t I heard of this band before, how has my life been incomplete without them, are they still around, and why did this stupid reviewer wait several months to write them up? I can answer the last question: I didn’t know they were going to be so astonishingly good. I judged a book by its cover and thought The Happies were immature punk. Need to stop doing that. The Happies combine the best of the English singer-songwriter angle with washy, emotional American indie rock and a certain whimsical, fussy, quaint, old-fashioned splash which recalls The Coral. Stratford 4, Simon & Garfunkle, Rilo Kiley and Bonnie “Prince” Billy immediately come to mind. I simply cannot believe this is a local band. I hope they play live shows, and that they’re not done releasing.www.soundclick.com/thehappies