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Reviews

Happy Family — Toscco
(Cuneiform Rune 93, 1997, CD)

Toscco Cover art

Not resting on their laurels like many a band I can name, Happy Family have done their damnedest to continue to progress and explore their sound. They've definitely succeeded, as here was a band that I thought could easily get stuck in the Ars Nova or Ozric Tentacles rut yet have decided to take their Japanese blend of Zeuhl and RIO and create a new slant. This one's not quite as in-your-face as their debut, it covers far more ground while retaining certain aspects of their sound, yet its still recognizable as Happy Family. I think it's their use of percussion, which adds a softer note to that intensity, and also I think they've spaced things out more. There's less of that trying to get everything said in 10 seconds feel and more research into texture and development. There is also a little bit of that Tipographica way of going — guess where my accent is going to land? No, no no, yes. I've always really liked this band, and here is another reason. Cuneiform and Happy Family do it again — definitely recommended.

by Mike McLatchey, Published 1997-05-01

They're back. Indeed they are. If Happy Family's first disc showed the levels of intensity they could ascend to, their second, while stylistically similar to the first, shows them reaching out and covering a lot of new territory. A strong King Crimson / Univers Zero / Zeuhl influence still pervades their style, the band is developing their own unique voice as well, one that is not so readily categorized. One notable addition to their sound is the use of synths for effects (squeaking and bubbling, as opposed to a strictly melodic purpose) on several of the tunes, and also a tendency to utilize more subdued and purely melodic passages within their compositions as contrast for their trademark manic harder-edged moments. Nowhere is this better illustrated than the first few minutes of "The Sushi Bar," probably the most stylistically diverse track on the album. Speaking of harder edged, "Naked King 2" is here in the form of the twelve-minute "Three Leaves Insect"; in fact many of the tunes here feature the type of lumbering power that propelled "Naked King" on the first album, replete with the steadily increasing and decreasing tempos a-la "De Futura"; of course there's plenty of the nimble stuff here as well, fans of the first album will not be disappointed. Interestingly, the album opener is a driving and brutally complex piece called "The Great Man," while the closer is an acoustic guitar and accordion duo version of the same song. In summary, what Toscco shows is growth, not stagnation.

by Peter Thelen, Published 1997-05-01

Happy Family attracted a lot of attention with their debut album from a couple of years ago. Perhaps this is because they are one of the few (if not the only) contemporary bands to play progressive rock with such a high level of energy and aggression. I mean, these guys could actually be punk-rockers at heart. Their chops and compositions, however, never veer towards the punk-rock axis that infiltrates contemporaries such as Ruins (also from Japan... hmm...). Instead, Happy Family writes intricate compositions that incorporate tricky rhythms, dissonant harmonies, and loud drums and guitar. And they happily avoid the sophomore jinx by staying true to the musical values of their first release. The punk-rock association is merely a matter of intensity, which maximizes both musical quality and musical impact. This Japanese combo has once again delivered a shock to the progressive music world. The instrumental inventiveness and aggressiveness of this band are things that must be heard to be believed. Highly recommended.

by Steve Robey, Published 1997-05-01

Filed under: New releases, Issue 12, 1997 releases

Related artist(s): Happy Family

More info
http://cuneiformrecords.bandcamp.com/album/toscco

 

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