Happyness
Happyness, a trio from south London, exult in fuzzed-out, melodic blasts of soaring, '90s-era American-style rock, aiming Pavement or Lemonheads-reminiscent fusillades over their own surreal humor and nimble guitar work. Not everything on Happyness' surefooted debut album, Weird Little Birthday, spirals to hazy, blithe heights; there are bluer moods too. Yet it's their intuitive, visceral understanding of how to launch and land a perfect three-minute song -- like "Anything I Do Is All Right" or "It's On You"-- that makes Happyness such a giddy delight. (Kara Manning)
