The Lucksmiths - Happy Secret
€20.00
The Lucksmiths - Happy Secret
€20.00
"Modestly subtitled ‘A Bunch Of Songs From 1998’, Happy Secret is precisely the witty, wonderful release that fans of this Melbourne three-piece have come to expect. From the smooth skip of Untidy Towns to the lazy lope of Abdication!, each mellow moment, each quirky chorus is clean and catchy.
And unassuming: no more than acoustic guitar, gentle bass and snare drum, occasionally blended with clarinet, whistling or backing vocals. The way the Violent Femmes might have sounded if they’d been melancholy instead of angry. And if they’d been Australian, because these laid-back sounds - especially the laconic lyrics - are distinctly Melburnian. “Nice work, if you can forget it,” sings Tali White on the deliciously-titled Edward, Sandwich Hand. “There must be more to life than cutting corners with a butter knife.” Indeed there is: Happy Secret proves it.
There’s no hype or artifice here, simply a genuine, irrepressible talent, as Europe and the US discovered on The Lucksmith’s outrageously successful world tour of last year. If you thought grunge killed melody, have a listen. Then just try to resist.
(4 out of 5 stars)" Sacha Molitorisz, Sydney Morning Herald
credits
released March 1, 1999
Tali White – vocals and drum contraption
Marty Donald – guitar and vocals
Mark Monnone – electric bass guitar, vocals
Richard Ogier-Herbert – piano on 1
Kimba Mitchell – vocals on 1 and 7, piano accordion on 7
Mikel Simic – clarinet
Combined Young Independent Record Executives Choir of North America – vocals on 9
Tracks 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 recorded by Matt Hills at Happy Valley, Melbourne
Track 3 recorded by Angus Kingston at Roam Around Sound, Sydney and by Matt Hills at Happy Valley, Melbourne
Track 7 recorded by Angus Kingston at Roam Around Sound, Sydney
Tracks 8 and 9 recorded by by Bruce Falkinburg, assisted by Ara Harcopian, at Phase Studios, College Park, Maryland
Track 10 recorded by Mark Monnone on 4-track in Anthony Atkinson’s bedroom
Mastered by David Briggs; mastered for vinyl by Lachlan Carrick
Artwork layout by Richard Ogier-Herbert, vinyl layout by Derek Carroll
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