Happy Head is the debut album by the English band the Mighty Lemon Drops, released in 1986.[1][2] It peaked at No. 58 on the UK Albums Chart and was a hit on American college radio.[3][4] The band supported the album with a UK tour and by opening for the Chameleons on a North American tour.[5][6] The title track appeared on NME's C86.[7] Happy Head was rereleased in 2022 as part of the Inside Out box set.[8]
| Happy Head | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1986 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 36:33 | |||
| Label |
| |||
| Producer | Stephen Street | |||
| the Mighty Lemon Drops chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production
editThe album was produced by Stephen Street.[9] Its music was influenced primarily by the Sex Pistols, the Teardrop Explodes, and Echo and the Bunnymen.[10] Most of the songs were written by guitarist David Newton, with the entire band working on the arrangements.[11] The album was recorded quickly; singer Paul Marsh later expressed dissatisfaction with the results.[12] All of the songs are about relationships.[13]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [14] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [15] |
| Reno Gazette-Journal | [16] |
| Tamworth Herald | [17] |
The Washington Post stated that "the sunny outlook and artless charm of the four-man group's debut LP Happy Head hearkens back to the days of mop-top pop".[18] The Toronto Star noted the "blend of hard-nosed rhythms and nifty melodic hooks."[19] The Chicago Tribune labeled the album "mainstream rock, much of [which] has an aggressive, forceful undercurrent that suggests a familiarity with the late-'70s punk scene in Britain."[10] NME concluded that "the Mighty Lemon Drops teeter precariously on the brink of mediocrity."[13]
The Gazette called it "catchy pop that mixes Byrds' guitars with Echo and the Bunnymen mood."[20] The Omaha World-Herald said that Happy Head "benefits from the Lemon Drops' special blend of punk energy and pop instincts, a style not unlike Australia's Hoodoo Gurus."[21] Trouser Press determined that it "offers the neo-psychedelia of early Echo played with a ringing Rickenbacker as the lead instrument and a less mannered (and less interesting) vocalist."[22]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Other Side of You" | 2:42 |
| 2. | "My Biggest Thrill" | 2:58 |
| 3. | "All the Way" | 3:33 |
| 4. | "Hypnotised" | 4:15 |
| 5. | "Like an Angel" | 3:43 |
| 6. | "Behind Your Back" | 3:19 |
| 7. | "Happy Head" | 2:27 |
| 8. | "Pass You By" | 3:31 |
| 9. | "Take Me Up" | 2:51 |
| 10. | "On My Mind" | 3:44 |
| 11. | "Something Happens" | 3:38 |
| 12. | "Turn Me Round" | 3:35 |
| Total length: | 36:33 | |
References
edit- ^ Reinhardt, Robin (January 1990). "Rock Candy". Spin. Vol. 5, no. 10. p. 18.
- ^ Carey, Jean (16 March 1990). "Sweet Lemon Drops". Weekend. St. Petersburg Times. p. 33.
- ^ "Mighty Lemon Drops". Official Charts. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
- ^ Reilly, Terri F. (2 February 1990). "Hot Tickets". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. F4.
- ^ Weir, Patrick (1 December 1986). "Familiar Taste of Lemon". Derby Evening Telegraph. p. 19.
- ^ Hiday, Jeffrey L. (24 June 1988). "Sweet sounds of British pop". The Providence Journal. p. D9.
- ^ Hasted, Nick (27 October 2006). "How an NME cassette launched indie music". Home. The Independent. p. 30.
- ^ "A Mighty Collection". Shropshire Star. 9 December 2022. p. 32.
- ^ Thompson, Dave (2000). Alternative Rock: Third Ear: The Essential Listening Companion. Miller Freeman Books. p. 805.
- ^ a b Popson, Tom (6 March 1987). "Mighty Lemon Drops on a Roll". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. H.
- ^ Rolfsen, Bruce (16 March 1990). "British band accepted by American tour audiences". Northwest Florida Daily News. p. D12.
- ^ Toombs, Mikel (21 March 1987). "Stratus opening gets a sweet set – Chameleons' complex music joins pop-style Lemon Drops". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. D6.
- ^ a b Brown, Len (27 September 1986). "The Mighty Lemon Drops: Happy Head". NME.
- ^ "Happy Head The Mighty Lemon Drops". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.
- ^ McClary, Eric (30 November 1986). "Rock". Reno Gazette-Journal. p. 9E.
- ^ Holliday, Sam (3 October 1986). "Music Box". Tamworth Herald. No. 5513. p. 29.
- ^ "Common Chameleons". The Washington Post. 20 February 1987. p. N17.
- ^ MacInnis, Craig (27 February 1987). "Drop-off". Toronto Star. p. D16.
- ^ Kelly, Brendan (6 March 1987). "Exciting British 4-play fills the Spectrum". The Gazette. p. C4.
- ^ Healy, James (9 November 1986). "'Happy Head' Mighty Lemon Drops Sire". Entertainment. Omaha World-Herald. p. 1.
- ^ Schulps, Dave; Robbins, Ira. "Mighty Lemon Drops". Trouser Press. Retrieved 11 August 2024.