Overlooked Indie-Genius
Aaron L. Hoffmeyer | Newark, DE USA | 04/03/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The first time I saw Happy Chichester, he was playing bass for a band in a battle of the bands competition at Club Dallas East in Reynoldsburg, Ohio back in the mid-80s. I'm not sure if his band won or not, but he stood out. So, I was not surprised a few years later when the Royal Crescent (RC) Mob was on a major record label. The Mob got some national attention, deservedly so, and early comparisons were to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Faith No More, Primus ... They did funk well, but probably needed a Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magic-type album to break out. Alas, they never made that album and never really broke out. They had some great tunes ... Timebomb, Big Show, Corporation Enema, Mama Said Knock You Out, All Bottled Up, Walkin' Down the Street, Pretty Good Life, Hungry, 5 More Minutes ... too bad they were spread out over three albums. If they had all been on one album, they probably would have had to have been as big as the Peppers.
Howlin' Maggie was his next band, and I still don't understand why Honeysuckle Strange and Hyde (they both have 7 five-star songs according to me) are not considered classics. I think they are by the people who have heard both albums, but unfortunately, that wasn't enough people. Maybe the timing wasn't right ... the music sure was.
Happy is as good a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter as there is. Lovers Come Back is his first solo studio release. These are great songs, and the package fits together like a concept album.
If you are looking for a great ballad, it does not get any better than "A Man Needs an Airplane." That being said, I rate more than half the songs on this album as five stars (Artificial Fanfare, A Man Needs an Airplane, Lost Connection, Sanctify, You're Blowin' My Mind, Shadows Remember the Day, Moonlight, and Dude?). It also contains a couple of interesting soundscapes ... Commercial Flight and Street Machine Tableau. For sure, this is the most laid-back album Happy has been involved with, and as such, it seems like a more heart-felt statement.
It sounds like he had a great time putting this album together ... and I think if you are looking for a mature, eclectic, brilliant, but overlooked album, this is it.
If you do buy this, remember that Happy is playing all instruments on almost all songs.
If you are looking for more of Happy's music, pick up the RC Mob and Howlin' Maggie CDs. Also, check out the bootleg CD Happy Chichester @ Alladin Theatre, Portland, OR March 28, 2003. You can now get them through Amazon and Amazon's resellers.
Happy used to be compared to Jeff Buckley, but Happy is still with us, and still creating great music. We should consider ourselves lucky."
Track Listings (13) - Disc #1