Dude's a pinhead. Nuff said.

The site's content doesn't show up in my browser for some reason, so I can't read the review... But I always thought that pop mostly sucks, not "matters". Was I wrong?

It didn't work for me either, but then I opened the main page first and searched for our band...
Typical review from someone who doesn't (want to?) understand progressive rock. I haven't a degree in music theory (nor did I have it when I was in my teens), but I don't think music made by HTM or others is meant to understand. You feel it or you don't.
The only good point the reviewer made is that he admits a lot of modern popmusic is influenced by progrock.

Ok, Gulliver here ya go!

HAPPY THE MAN
The Muse Awakens
(InsideOut)
Rating: 3
US release date: 26 October 2004
UK release date: 25 October 2004
by John Bergstrom


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...and Shrugs

Even these days, the term "prog" is likely to elicit at least as many groans as perked eyebrows. But, since its heyday in the 1970s, progressive rock has maintained its own little subculture. If it weren't for old Yes and Emerson, Lake and Palmer bootlegs, record conventions probably wouldn't exist. And, let's face it, it's a certain type of crowd that you're speaking to when, in your press release, you view the fact that one band member also "performed in a Rush tribute band called Power Windows" as a talking point.

As easy as it is to poke fun at prog rock (who can forget This is Spinal Tap's Stonehenge scene?), it has made a real impact on today's musical landscape: If you're going to do away with Tales of Topographic Oceans, you'll have to live without The Soft Bulletin, too. But is this enough to warrant the return of Happy the Man, prog lesser-knowns who released two albums on Arista in the late 1970s? For most people outside the band's cult following, no.

For one thing, Happy the Man's music is almost entirely instrumental. Imagine the rhythmic and chordal whirlwind of Rush or Yes without Geddy Lee's or Jon Anderson's distinctive belting. Relief, you say? Wrong you are. Without vocals, Happy the Man sounds too much like a bunch of talented musicians trying to impress one another by all soloing at the same time. Of course, songs like "Contemporary Insanity" and "Stepping Through Time" are actually highly orchestrated and carefully constructed. It's just that, unless you have a PhD in music theory, you're not going to be able to follow them -- or enjoy them.

The Muse Awakens does settle down as it goes on, offering some more atmospheric tracks like "Maui Sunset", which does a good job at painting a musical picture of its title, and the ambient "Adrift", Kenny G-style sax solo notwithstanding. "Barking Spiders" is fun, a playful, squawking electric guitar riff giving your ears something to hold onto. And the sole vocal track, "Shadowlites", gives a sense of what The Muse Awakens could have been. The difference is not so much Stanley Whitaker's voice or generically soul-searching lyrics. It's the fact that the verse-chorus arrangement actually gives the song some structure, and the brooding guitar figure adds a depth that the rest of the album doesn't attain.

In addition to Whitaker, original multi-instrumentalist Frank Wyatt and bassist Rick Kennell are joined by a couple newer recruits. The production features a few modern touches: the more resonant, contemporary drum sound, crisp recording, and occasional digital synthesizer washes. Overall, though, The Muse Awakens sounds like it was recorded in a time warp, complete with analog synthesizers that seem to be permanently set on Silly.

Based on a quick scan of message board postings, the small company of devoted Happy the Man fans are thrilled at the reunion. For anyone else who wants a dose of prog nostalgia . . . well, there's always that Rush tribute band.

I almost feel like not wasting the time to comment on this ignorance. Is this bait or what? Pop is about politics and this writer is a politician. So prog ain't cool, but we'll credit prog for the current landscape. BS. Wow, I must have a Phd in music, because I enjoy Contemporary Insanity. The e-mail I sent to this writer:

You are completely ignorant. In 2000 when HTM played Nearfest which is the largest and most comprehesive prog/art rock fest in the US, Happy the Man was chosen as the best band 2 to 1, by a survey of attendees. Maybe you need to spend some time in international prog forums, but that's not the set of people you attempting to impress since there is no money in appealing the HTM fans. But why even waste your time writing reviews like this. Anyway, I do not have a PHD in music and I enjoy HTM. I guess that implies you are an idiot.

First of all, I am a huge fan of Happy, but this review is pretty true, except the Rush comments. I was a bit disapointed in the lack of progression in "The Muse". It is like it was recorded in the 70's, too distintively Happy but no new sounds. I too would like more vocals from Stan. Maybe Oblivion Sun will bring the best out of Happy?.!

I read your previous comments about the Muse and the fact you state these PopMatters comments are true means you are pretty self oriented. What is true to you isn't true in general. That the Muse has the 70's HTM sound means it has a HTM sound. Why that isn't enough for you, is not clear. The article is a criticism of prog in general. Everybody has the right to an opinion, but I don't understand the point of this article within the context of a Pop website. To even say Pop Matters, is ridiculous, of course pop is the only music which seems to matter. The CD industry is facing reduced profits, because the new music it's cranking out may not be as popular to the pocketbook (even though CD production costs are low) as in the past. Why are we seeing articles in Baltimore Sun about the strong interest in 80s music? This is not new, but it has grown to the point where 80's music is getting major attention. But my main point is that fresh sound can be like fresh sh*t. Not just to me, but the listening public too.

The most common criticism of the Muse from my friends who have heard it performed live, is that it seems dead on the CD. I concur with these comments (i'm not going to say thay are true, because what is truth after all, but a figment of my imagination) and believe it is a by product of digital production. Got to bang out these recordings as if they were live. The Peter Gabriel Up CD suffers similarly. Make a live recording with no monitors other than earphones, and drum isolation. Hopefully the XM recording is just that.

For me, the reason that The Muse material comes off better live is due to a few facts.

1. Joe had only been with the band a matter of weeks when The Muse was recorded. Now he's had the material live with him for over a year and played it out a bunch. He's really made the tunes his own over time.

2. It's difficult to capture the energy of a live performance in the studio. It makes sence that a live rendition is going to be more powerful.

That is what I am hoping for, that The Muse material will come out more powerful and also soulful live.
I feel too that The Muse feels in some way dead, a better word may be "cold" and over-practised. What I mean is that the joy and soul that have been there in the first place, after years of practice, that joy and soul seem to bacame notes and perfectionism and very held back. It really feels like Joe Bergamini choosed the easy way with his choise of rhythms and beats, cause I feel that HTM has always stood for interesting and some way quirky rhytms even in ballad-like songs, thinking of the pounding rhythm in Open Book and so on. On many songs (many, not all) Joe's drums feels too light-weighted, nothing that brings something special to the music than....well, just "normal" drumming.

I am looking forward to hear what Joe has to offer to the HTM sound thesedays, hopefully it will be much more inventive than it was during the recording of The Muse.

About the review: It's a pop-idiot who doesnt know much, I dont care what he write or think of The Muse, but I really think that Firth did a cool thing by kick his arse in that mail. ;D

bp,

1. I thought exactly the same thing about Joe after I saw the Rams Head performance recently. Joe's mastery of those time signatures is awesome.

2. Yes, it is difficult to capture that power. I caught a little interview with Steve Miller on XM who said that when recording "Children of the Future" 1968 initially in America, the sound was very small, but it was obvious that the British were doing better with recording sound at that time, getting a bigger sound. I don't know what the secret is, but a remaster of Yes, Drama I bought recently has a big dynamic sound. The vinyl was so compressed that I had to replace it.