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Happy Songs For Happy People
by
  • Record Label:
  • Release Date:
Happy Songs For Happy People Image
Metascore
85

Universal acclaim - based on 19 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 37 Ratings

  • Summary: Don't let the title fool you; the Glaswegian instrumental post-rockers are just as dour as ever on this fourth studio LP.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 19
  3. Negative: 0 out of 19
  1. Playlouder
    100
    This is Mogwai distilled to their essence, and the result is an album of huge power, emotional depth and feeling, with vocals submerged under a claustrophobic blanket of effects and guitars battling with viola, cello, violin and piano. It's just as Eno as it is S***t, and all the greater for that.
  2. PopMatters
    100
    In the end, Happy Songs might sound like Mogwai's earlier work or be unapproachable to the listener who spends his time chilling in Sam Goody, but that doesn't mean it's not one of the most amazing albums of the year.
  3. Junkmedia
    90
    Happy Songs is epic and subtle, technically savvy and emotionally charged and visceral all at once -- in short, it's a summary of everything that is great about Mogwai's music.
  4. AllMusic
    80
    With Happy Songs for Happy People, Mogwai gets to have it both ways -- it's ironic and sincere, concise and expansive, challenging and accessible, and it's one of the band's best albums, no two ways about it.
  5. Dot Music
    80
    What really makes this record engaging is that the simmering tension often chooses not to explode, yet somehow it works.
  6. Q Magazine
    80
    They've crucially learned that musical light and shade need not only be flaring explosions, but melodic sunrises too. [Jul 2003, p.109]
    All this publication's reviews
  7. Austin Chronicle
    50
    Happy Songs for Happy People offers many of the thrills of Rock Action, but without the diversity and succinctness that made that album shine.

See all 19 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. PScott
    Jul 19, 2006
    10
    Quite easily the best album i have ever heard... Every track is brilliant, and Ratts Of The Capital is amazing. If you don't own this Quite easily the best album i have ever heard... Every track is brilliant, and Ratts Of The Capital is amazing. If you don't own this yet, go buy it now.… Expand
  2. VicenteT
    Jun 27, 2003
    10
    Sem dúvida, um dos melhores álbuns do ano. Mogwai Rules!!!!!
  4. SeamusS
    Apr 20, 2006
    10
    Kay kay kay Get past the utter stupidity (or inside joked humor) of the song titles, and you have a masterpeice.
  5. B
    Jun 19, 2003
    9
    aetheral, soaring, and majestic. there best effort yet.
  6. Ryanc
    Mar 4, 2005
    9
    Beautiful. I adore this, they are on a par with Tortoise
  7. clem666
    Jun 20, 2021
    8
    Amazingly powerful yet very progressive rock music fresco. In 'Happy Songs for Happy People' Mogwai demonstrate their abilities to showcaseAmazingly powerful yet very progressive rock music fresco. In 'Happy Songs for Happy People' Mogwai demonstrate their abilities to showcase their surprising technique while remaining true to self by sharing intense yet undefined emotions and anxiety. What is truly compelling in here is that they manage to take their time to both breathe in and exhale without trying to reach what we know that doesn't correspond to them. There is time for silence. There is time for technical moves. There is time to speak clearly. There is time to volontarily mumble. And there is time to explode in numerous pieces.… Expand
  8. DomS.
    Aug 11, 2003
    7
    Something has been lost with Mogwai. You could feel it with "Rock Action," but it was easy to welcome the deeper, subtler, more ambient Something has been lost with Mogwai. You could feel it with "Rock Action," but it was easy to welcome the deeper, subtler, more ambient Mogwai as a change from the loud and stark brilliance of "Young Team" and their EP. "Happy Songs" isn't a band that's growing, but more like a practice round for a group of guys with enough talent and eclecticity to make the perfect collection of songs.… Collapse

See all 11 User Reviews

Awards & Rankings

27
#27 Best Album of 2003
72
#72 Most Shared Album of 2003

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