Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Special US Edition of "Almost Happy" CD: Worth Waiting For, May 7, 2002
"Almost Happy" is K's Choice 4th studio album, which was issued in Fall 1999 in Europe, but remained off the US market, until now. K's Choice following in the US has dimished from the glory days of "Not An Addict" in the mid-90s, but its musical qualities cannot be doubted."Almost Happy" finds Sarah and Gert Bettens in fine form. Sounding relaxed and unhurried, the songs are mostly reflective in nature. The opening track (and first single) is the uptempo "Another Year", which leads into other outstanding tunes like the title track (also a single), "My Head", "Somehwere" and later on "Busy" (also a single). The US edition of the album comes with an extra live disc, which essentially pulls the best tracks of the double "Live" CD that was issued in Europe last December. It is a veritable "Greatest Hits Live" CD, covering all of their best known songs, including of course Not An Addict, but also Mr. Freeze, Cocoon Crash, Breakfast, Winter, If You're Not Scared, Everything For Free, Believe, Hide, and others. Except for "My Head" (the single currently out in Europe), there is no overlap among the studio and the live tracks. Finally, please note that the cover work for the US Edition of "Almost Happy" is completely different from the European version. This is only fitting, to reflect the generous extra live CD. Belgium's best band shines on both the sudio and the live set. I hope they can find a spot on US radios again!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best European rock band that no one's ever heard of, January 10, 2002
By far the sheer songwriting talent of this band surpasses anything that's coming from the American pop-rock scene, and if you doubt it, sample of a few of their songs. Ranging from raucous to whisper, this band can cover more emotions in one CD than most bands cover in five, if ever.The latest CD, Almost Happy, has been out in Europe for nearly a year, and it was through Amazon Germany that I was able to have it shipped to the US after seeing their video on Belgian TV during a trip there. One listen was all it took, after which I needed to have everything they ever recorded. A group of Belgian artists, K's Choice guitarist Gert Bettens, who formed the group as the Choice with his sister Sarah (vocals, rhythm guitar), have been professional musicians since the late '80s and once played in a band called the Basement Plugs. Sarah also released a solo single under the name Sara Beth. After the single's release, Double T Music offered Sarah a contract; a trial session with Gert on guitar convinced the company to sign the two as a band, which was named the Choice. The Great Subconscious Club, the Choice's first LP, was issued in Belgium in 1993. The band's visibility was heightened considerably by Sarah's duet with Scots R&B singer Frankie Miller on Ry Cooder's "Why Don't You Try Me" (featured on the soundtrack to a Belgian movie). The Choice began touring with bands such as Morphine and the Indigo Girls in other European countries and, later, in the States. The group eventually changed its name to K's Choice after a U.S. band named the Choice claimed the rights to the moniker. The "K" signified Jozef K, the protagonist in Kafka's book "The Trial." In 1995, K's Choice released Paradise In Me, a guitar-based, hard-edged effort featuring axeman Jan Van Sichem Jr. The LP and the single "Not an Addict" topped the Belgian charts. By playing European music festivals, K's Choice attracted the attention of Alanis Morissette, who asked the group to join her U.S. tour. K's Choice then opened for the Verve Pipe and Tonic. After K's Choice showcased its thoughtful, melodic pop-rock on one 1997 Lilith Fair date, Paradise In Me went to #1 on the Billboard "Heatseekers" chart and "Not an Addict" became a top-5 Modern Rock Track. Foo Fighters producer Gil Norton helmed K's Choice's Cocoon Crash, including the single "Everything for Free" With Almost Happy, the band's sound has become somewhat softer, but more professional. There's less need to make up in loudness what was perhaps missing in talent before, but only from an instrumental standpoint. Sarah's singing is still as lush or as powerful as ever, and anyone who wants to treat themselves should buy this CD, where every song is a good listen (unlike so much of what comes out these days!).
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Dutch pop, June 9, 2002
Happening across the band quite by accident after hearing 'Virgin State Of Mind' on 'Buffy' episode 'Doppelgangland', I decided to buy one of their albums, so impressed was I by this one song. The feeling of the album is generally upbeat, although this is a deceptive album. After a few listening you begin to pay closer attention to the lyrics and the sound of the songs to find that these aren't necessarily happy.The mournful vocals add a slight edge of misery to many of the tracks, although the odd happy ones like 'Favourite Adventure' are just as good. Something like 'Almost Happy', as it breaks into it's louder chorus, seems almost bitter. The almost menacing feel to 'Tired', which reminded me of the score to 'Halloween', makes for fantastic variation. Another stand-out is the sorrowful and depressed 'My Head', although 'Shadowman' is also worth a mention. It's a very consistent album, with plenty of very good tracks. It's easy to see why K's Choice have a cult following. This is some of the best alternative pop that I've ever come across.
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by K's Choice 
