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Senor Happy:
I'm Sorry
I recently had the pleasure of reviewing Gift to the World, the infectious debut from Boston quartet Loveless. The album, produced by Mike Denneen, was a satisfying collection of brit-pop power rock (or is that brit-rock power pop), filled with indelible hooks and catchy lyrics. And so here is another Denneen-produced band (also from Boston), Senor Happy. While not quite as endearing, Im Sorry, the bands second effort, is a solid collection of fuzzed-out, riff-hungry pop tunes, made better by a handful of low-key ballads that find the band exploring more interesting musical territories. As with any record produced by Denneen, songs here are charged with a sing-along quality that would have even the most jaded tapping their toes. But that said, the records a bit hit-or-miss with the up-tempo stuff. Songs like Shes New and Someone Invaded Me are surefire pop songs, but even after repeated listens, they dont resonate. Songs like Got You and Even the Score fare better (the former featuring some killer sax work). A lot of its just too high-energy, low-impact (instantly likeable, instantly forgettable), the kind of songs you hear in the transitional moments of a Farrelly Brothers comedy (and thats not an insult). No, its the slow stuff that really gives the album its appeal. Love If Youre Real is intriguing on first listen and aptly suited to Derek Schanches breathy vocals. Drowning, another highlight, features notes you wouldnt think this band had in them (and a provocative chorus to boot), the hushed tones once again finding Schanche in fine form on a song that can only be described as celebrating love with a sigh. Perhaps they try too hard on the rock songs (verse/catchy/verse)...I dont know. This is only a guess, but maybe sometimes you have to let the hooks come to you and not the other way around. Still, this is a good band.
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