Happiness

by Hurts

Overview

Whereas the likes of La Roux, Ladyhawke, and Little Boots have found both commercial and critical success with their retro brand of '80s synth pop, their male counterparts have struggled to connect with audiences in the same way. Frankmusik's online buzz failed to translate into record sales while Dan Black and Ali Love's careers stuttered before they really started. However, Manchester duo Theo Hutchcraft and Adam Anderson, aka Hurts, could well be the act to buck the trend. With influences stretching far beyond the usual Depeche Mode and Pet Shop Boys, their debut album, Happiness, has reference points that also appear to include the gothic balladry of Sisters of Mercy ("Evelyn"), the polished electro of a-ha ("Better Than Love"), and even the glossy new wave of Johnny Hates Jazz ("Blood, Tears and Gold"). But what on paper could have been nothing more than a derivative homage turns out to be one of the most consistently inventive pop albums of the year. Opening track "Silver Lining" begins with robotic processed beats and ends in a gloriously overblown wave of Gregorian chanting, "Sunday" is an anthemic slice of Hi-NRG string-soaked Europop occupying the space between Coldplay and Cascada, and "Stay" is a dramatic gospel-fused love song that highlights Hutchcraft's delicate but powerful vocals. Best of all is breakthrough track "Wonderful Life," a heart-wrenching tale of bitter optimism set against a backdrop of clattering rhythms, shimmering atmospheric synths, and one of the signature sounds of the '80s, the saxophone solo. Unfortunately, its lyrics, full of banal and cliched metaphors, aren't as interesting as the music they accompany, while the final three tracks, including "Devotion," a disappointingly turgid duet with Kylie Minogue, don't quite live up to the rest of the album's high standards. But despite unashamedly wearing its influences on its sleeve, Happiness cleverly avoids being just a pastiche, with its sophisticated and grandiose production adding a modern twist to its authentic and affectionate '80s sound. ~ Jon O'Brien

Product Details

Release Date:	09/14/2010
Label:	The Major Label / Rca / Sony Music Entertainment
UPC:	0886976666828

Tracks

1. Silver Lining
2. Wonderful Life
3. Blood, Tears & Gold
4. Sunday
5. Stay
6. Illuminated
7. Evelyn
8. Better Than Love
9. Devotion
10. Unspoken
11. The Water

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Hurts   Primary Artist
Kylie Minogue   Primary Artist,Vocals
London Studio Orchestra   Strings
Paulo Mendonca   Guitar,Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Johan Hakansson   Drums
Hilary Marsden   Clarinet,Saxophone
Jennifer Goetvall   Vocals,Choir/Chorus
Karianne Arvidsson   Vocals,Choir/Chorus
Salome Kent   Violin
Stephen Kozmeniuk   Guitar
Tina Sunnero   Vocals,Choir/Chorus
Simon Hale   Conductor,String Conductor
Malin Abrahamsson   Vocals
Malin   Choir/Chorus
Jonas Quant   Keyboards

Technical Credits

Andy Bradfield   Mixing Engineer
Kevin Metcalfe   Mastering Engineer
Mark "Spike" Stent   Mixing
Niall Acott   Engineer,String Engineer
David Sneddon   Composer,Lyricist
Dan Grech-Marguerat   Mixing Engineer
Arthur Baker   Remixing
Fred Ventura   Remixing
George Marino   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Richard "Biff" Stannard   A&R
Dave Seaman   Composer,Lyricist
Matt Green   Mixing Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Freemasons   Remixing
Ash Howes   Mixing Engineer
Dick Beetham   Mastering Engineer
Spike Stent   Mixing Engineer
Paul Spooner   Photography
Naweed   Mastering Engineer
Stephen Anderson   Composer,Lyricist
Chris Alexander   Mastering Engineer
Ali Schwarz   Producer,Remixing
Basti Schwarz   Producer,Remixing
Ali Tollervey   Photography
Adam Clough   A&R
Joe Cross   Composer,Lyricist,Producer
Mark Stent   Mixing Engineer
Nexus   Composer,Programming,Instrumentation,Additional Production
Paolo Gozzetti   Remixing
Perry Montague-Mason   Leader,Orchestration
Katja Ruge   Images
Hurts   Composer,Lyricist,Producer,Programming,Instrumentation
Theo Hutchcraft   Composer,Lyricist,Group Member
Joseph Cross   Composer,Lyricist,Producer,Programming,Instrumentation
Samuel Muir   Design,Illustrations
Jamaica   Remixing
Laurence Ellis   Cover Photo,Photography
Lindsay Bull   Paintings
Paul Smith   A&R
Stephen Kozmeniuk   Engineer
James Bauer-Mein   Composer,Lyricist
The Nexus   Producer
Owain Anthony Barton   Composer,Lyricist
Andrew Frampton   Composer,Lyricist,Producer
Simon Hale   Arranger,String Arrangements
Sascha Buehren   Mastering Engineer
Adam Anderson   Composer,Lyricist,Group Member
Jonas Quant   Producer,Programming,Instrumentation,Additional Production
Glen Nicholls   Engineer
Nilesh Patel   Mastering Engineer
Paul Lisberg   A&R
Paul Percival   Grooming