Customer Reviews

Please Refrain From Fronting

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

However, we've come to expect killer albums from Happy Apple. This Minneapolis-based band (that will remain Minneapolis based thank you very much) has now released its 4th studio album (the limited edition live album is amazing but hard to find). And it does not disappoint. Happy Apple beautifully combines hip-hop, psychedelic rock, jazz, and whatever else they feel like doing into mind-blowing music-making. I've heard people describe Happy Apple as "better than sex"...they could be right. Admittedly, the studio albums can't lay a finger to Happy Apple's live shows...but they're as close as you can get otherwise. Buy this now.

I believe there will be a day when Happy Apple tastes mainstream success. They are a jazz group that has appeal to the youth because they capture what rock n roll had so long ago. The difference is they play intelligent, poetic, beautiful music. This album is just incredible. It showcases the talents of all three of them, and its a shame that so few people have heard these amazing musicians. "Please Refrain from Fronting" will really take you aback when you first hear it. There are slow beautiful tunes such as "November" or "Homage Ritchie Valens", rockers (thats right on a jazz album) such as "koala bear wearing a t shirt with your corporate logo," "take wes chandler for instance," and "the invasion has become" as well as a mix of both in "Buffalo 98'". Tight solos, melodies, and riffs. You can't fail with this cd.

Happy Apple has returned with yet another great album. There isnt a genre you can tack on them, but dont let that discourage you at all. The group keeps that tracks a bit shorter on Please Refrain From Fronting, but you can still feel the Coltrane-esque improvisations many of the tunes. This defintley is more of a straight ahead record for them, trying different approaches, while it still turns out great. The horn is huge, the bass is woody as always, and the drums are unique and appropriate. I recommend it highly. Their from Minnesota, and your dead.

While I can savor a sloppy splendor behind post-bop epic "Buffalo '98" and appreciate many of its off-kilter traits throughout, HA's whole discs tend to sound stretched out and often flirt with dead spaces.

It has been done before. That sums it up best. There is some passionate playing certainly...but it's Ornette Coleman in the 60s, plus Ornette Coleman with Prime Time in the 70s with just a hint of Dewey Redman-era Keith Jarrett. The only problem is Happy Apple lacks a cogent bassist like Charlie Haden; the bassist is competent but he doesn't pee napalm on the other players like Haden did. If you like the bands mentioned above, you'll think it's a solid set with muscular playing but with very almost no magical moments.