Happy
"Sincerely, Without Wax"
(doubleplusgood; 2004) |
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DELUSIONS OF ADEQUACY
Happy-Sincerely, Without Wax
I discovered the Oshkosh, Wisc. band H. Chinaski just after the
band broke up, but the one full-length release and the stellar EP
the band left behind have been consistent favorites. So I was extremely
excited to hear that the unique talents of H. Chinaski frontman
Andrew Johnson would be carried over to this new trio, Happy. (And
surely someone, somewhere would have thought to use the word 'Happy'
as a band name before?)
Johnson has a unique voice: rather atonal, shouted at times like
his throat is raw. But it works in his post-hardcore medium. While
his voice is the most immediately obvious aspect of Happy, it's
by no means the main feature Johnson carried over. His powerful,
dynamic guitar riffs - challenging tunings and thick, dynamic pace
- are even better developed on Sincerely, Without Wax, while this
counterparts on bass and drums more than contribute. The end result
is a post-hardcore, slightly mathy, extremely interesting album
that almost demands repeated listens.
Just listen to that staccato riff that opens the first track, "Cats,"
at a high pace. That and the way the almost tangible bass lines
and guitar mix on this track should be enough to sell the curious
fan right there. On "Palm the Good Book," Johnson brings
back his feeling of ennui from H. Chinaski albums, as he sings,
"Well this place blows." And oddly enough, his voice is
even tuneful at times here. Things slow down nicely at the mid-point
of "Dogs of the Itarod," letting the drummer shine, although
the discordant guitar riff is distracting here. By contrast, "Another
D Down" is more melodic, and the low-end vibe of "Simple
Procedures" feels like a slick, toned-down Fugazi, making it
easily one of my favorites here. (It should be noted that this track
is most similar to H. Chinaski, which may be why I like it so much.)
Another stellar track, "Certain Flies are Laughing" has
the coolest melodic intro and mid-tempo pace, with a different feel
to production that gives the vocals a more unique flare.
It should be noted that not all of Happy's songs are easy to listen
to. The odd mix of propulsive riffs and time signatures, as well
as Johnson's voice, can make the more punk-influenced songs like
the discordant "The Spoiler" and the edgy "The Very
First Protein" a bit chaotic, but I'm quite sure that's intentional.
The odd pace - almost bouncy, like country-punk - of "Easier
in Art" is an odd approach, mixing strangely with Johnson's
shouted vocals.
Happy doesn't quite hit me the way H. Chinaski did, but there's
no denying that Sincerely, Without Wax is an accomplished debut
album. I hope this trio stays around long enough to follow the album
up with even stronger efforts that continue to show Johnson's unique
stature as a post-hardcore frontman. -Jeff Marsh
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