Happy the Man

Album Review

For centuries, the word "melancholy" has been used to describe certain songs — maybe not the artist in general, but certain songs by that artist. Since the 1990s, however, the word "melancholic" has been used more and more to describe an artist's work in general. What's the difference? Bebop king Charlie Parker, for example, had his share of melancholy performances but also had plenty of optimistic, uplifting performances; Nirvana, meanwhile, are often described as "melancholic" because darker emotions dominated their work. And the word "melancholic" easily describes the Guggenheim Grotto's Happy the Man. That is an ironic title for this adult alternative effort because the Guggenheim Grotto bring a very world-weary outlook to contemplative tracks like "Heaven Has a Heart," "Just Not Just," and "Everyman"; Happy the Man isn't a very optimistic album, but then, it isn't obligated to be. Darker emotions have inspired an abundance of memorable music over the years, and they work well for this Dublin, Ireland-based band on Happy the Man. The Guggenheim Grotto not only have a strong sense of alternative pop/rock craftsmanship — they also have plenty of feeling to go with it. So while Happy the Man isn't exactly a cheerful album, it is certainly a worthwhile album. It is the epitome of the word melancholic, which isn't a bad thing considering how nicely-crafted the material is. Musicians need to be true to themselves, and if the Guggenheim Grotto had written a bunch of cheerful songs just for the sake of writing cheerful songs, they might have ended up with a less inspired album. Being melancholic is a definite plus for the Guggenheim Grotto on Happy the Man.