Happy. is a pop-punk band hailing from South Carolina. In 2018 they released their debut record Cult Classic, a record which will dig up all sorts of pop-punk nostalgia with their sound.
Cult Classic is a pop-punk record at its core, and it will never shake that identity. With the help of Cartel’s Will Pugh with production, it is also safe to assume that the band will not shake that identity either.
The record contains ten tracks, and opens with “How to Lose a Girl in 1:45“. Having that as an opening track sets the tone. The song starts slow, which works really well for leading in the listener, half way through the song it picks up with heavier guitars, a faster beat, and more of a yelling tone coming from lead singer Tate Logan. It even gives fans a little laugh with the last line being; “when I called you the wrong name during sex.” The track ends abruptly after that, but serves as a great prelude for “Don’t Overdose and Drive“.
“Don’t Overdose and Drive” might be one of the most popular songs on the record. It’s a bit grunge sounding, and the “da da da’s” will grab the attention of any pop-punk purist. It is a really catchy song as well, and will be stuck in your head for hours. It has the same “stuck in your head-ness” as “She Looks So Perfect” by 5 Seconds of Summer, and even sounds pretty similar as well.
“Wynona Rider” is another song packed full of pop-punk elements, and tells the story of the “Manic Pixie Dream Girl” trope from movies. How this female character in films will feel the need to fix the tendencies of a different character. Logan expands on this in an interview with Teenplicity, saying;
“This concept has always been very toxic to me. It made its way into society with real-life relationship expectations. I don’t believe it is someone else’s responsibility to do that. I think it’s very important to take care of yourself and learn to love yourself before you embark on loving someone else.”
“Drowners” is a bit more of a ballad, in the sense of its tempo. It’s slower, but still has that hint of neon pop-punk, which works really well together. It reminds me of the Waterparks song “Lucky People” in that way. The bass of the song, provided by bassist Sean Bowick is very reminiscent of a Blink-182 song.
“Fishtank” and “Where The Wild Things Were” are fast paced, bouncy, and will make you want to start moving around and moshing in your bedroom. When you can’t get to a pit because there are no shows, you might as well make your own! The songs are very much stereotypical pop-punk from top to bottom, but I don’t mean that in a bad way. The band’s ability to create such a new sound from stuff we have already seen done in the past is very impressive, and one of the reasons why Happy. should be on your watch list.
Overall, Cult Classic is a very good album. One that will keep you entertained for days. It would be perfect for anyone who is in need of a new band, but loves classic pop-punk like Cartel, Motion City Soundtrack, and even Blink-182. The South Carolina natives will not disappoint. Give Cult Classic a spin, and let Happy. show you how talented they are.
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