Tag Archives: minds

My iPod #473: Happyness – Great Minds Think Alike, All Brains Taste the Same

Leave a reply

No post yesterday. Got back home from university. Was very tired as a result. Nice to be back though. Let’s carry on.

Happyness are an indie rock trio from South London who I first heard about through NME. Basically what you see upon clicking on that link is a very nice description of the band and the page where I listened to “Great Minds” for the first time. For some reason, I remember immediately dismissing it. Reading what bands NME considered Happyness to sound like made me think the band was trying too hard. Thought the title was a bit much too. What the fuck. That was shallow of me. Very poor.

Instead, I actually listened to the track and found out that it is actually a very enjoyable listen. It is a perfect blend of deadpan but relatable lyrics with sweet, sweet melodies and chill vibes that make for some easy listening. All executed under two minutes too. Somewhere I read the track ties with the album’s apparent concept of a person born on the same day as Jesus Christ….. You can look that up of you want, I’m just okay with listening to the music if that’s alright.

Happyness are still under the radar a bit; if you like what you hear here, check out their album released last year.*

*This link is dead. 😐

My iPod #223: Billy Talent – Crooked Minds

Leave a reply


Good times were had last night. Moving from one place to another, plenty of loud music and dancing was involved. I can remember it all too which is a bonus. So as I sit here on my desk, reminiscing and waiting for the second half of the Arsenal game to start, I bring you the first post of two for today.

“Dead Silence” is Billy Talent’s fourth album, released in September 2012. It brought to an end their “Billy Talent (enter roman numeral here)” naming system that the band had used for their first three albums, but it also brought forward some new ideas and sounds too. Ian D’Sa – the guitarist with the Paul-from-Tekken-like haircut – handled the album’s production, there is the of a piano in one of their songs, it also includes two of the most ‘poppiest’ (don’t like that word) tracks I think the band have done. I listened to it when it became available on Spotify, and it was “Crooked Minds” that really grabbed my attention.

With a message similar to “Red Flag’s”, something along the lines of how ‘the kids’ of today will rise up, cast off the shackles and fight to right the wrongs of the government, “Crooked Minds” reminded me of the material from “Billy Talent II”. That album, for me, is my second favourite…. but only marginally. By the skin of my teeth. But “Crooked Minds” just had the energy that that album had, and what was missing, I feel, on “Billy Talent III”.

Actually, that’s a bit unfair. “Billy Talent II” is great as well….. I’ll save that for another day.

I think it is that “Yeah” that Ben screams/yells at the start that certified it for me. “Devil in a Midnight Mass”…..-esque, you could say.