Happy Life – ‘Sweet Resort’ (Alberts) Released 11/10/04

When ‘Sweet Resort’ kicks in with ‘Breathe For Me’ you’d be forgiven for thinking this is Placebo’s comeback album. Happy Life however would probably be more comfortable being pigeonholed with every other act in the world to come out Bognor Regis except Colour of Fire.

Despite the opening Molkoisms Happy Life are for all intents and purposes wearing other influences on their sleeves in the act of hoping to get noticed. In fact there’s more than a hope that their label (home to Breed 77), their manager (who they share with  Million Dead) and not to mention their supports for 3 Colours Red and Reuben will be enough to convince the Kerrang! buying public that they’re ace.

Unfortunately ‘Breathe for Me’ is currently their best song. After that, things climb so far up the emo life raft they so desperately cling to that it almost seems like it’s not worth going on.

Yet despite the dull plodding chord progressions that keep them this side of safe “emotional” rock, the “emotional” titles (‘The Way You Hate Me’) and a distinct lack of “emotional” direction, Happy Life do on occasion prove themselves. Uplifting anthem ‘Sweet Resort’ poignantly about faces their drift into a shallow pool with a charged bout of inspirational finger pointing “it’s all fallen through, too many lines have found their way to you,” not to mention the album’s most lively depth charge of a lead break.

‘Shut Me Down’ takes you up an almost text book avenue with it’s slow/fast/break sequence that you’re reaching for the crack rock as quick as you can say Pete Doherty and ‘Final Alibi’ sees you shoving a large bag of brown into your pipe. But it’s not too late, you may have already sold the family jewellery by this point, but closing trio ‘Stand Up’, ‘Paragon’ and ‘Happysong’ (which really isn’t that happy) are almost enough to bring you back from the edge. Almost.

This isn’t a great album, neither is it a terrible album, but until Happy Life can take another step away from the bands that influence them they’ll only ever be in their shade.