Customer Reviews

Sex & Food: Best of the Pursuit of Happiness

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Anyone mildly familiar with this band should own this disc! If you haven't heard of the band, but are a fan of powerpop, and like your powerpop upbeat with lots of crunchy guitar, great female back-up harmonies, boy/girl and funny/witty lyrics, you must own this disc! Highest praise to Moe Berg, who continues to keep me in stitches with his provocative lyrics on the subject of sex, always injecting lots of humor AND guitar power. You'll want to seek out all five of this band's discs after this great overview (might have to go to Canada). Only one slight disappointment for me--not enough from the 1996 release, 'The Wonderful World of...', maybe because there aren't any breaks between the songs? Would have been nice to have 'Hate Engine' or 'The Truth' in this mix. Don't pass this one up!

Canada's The Pursuit of Happiness is a band that has been criminally ignored in the U.S. since they first burst on the rock scene in the late '80s with their one and only Stateside hit "I'm an Adult Now." After three U.S. releases, the band got lost in the shuffle when record companies started looking for the next Nirvana back in the mid-'90s. Since then, they've put out two more excellent albums on an Canadian indie label. Led by the wry musings of singer-guitarist Moe Berg, TPOH used heavy guitars and female backing vocals to drive home its often-amusing power pop. In addition to being a good introduction to the band for new fans, this album is also worth picking up for TPOH diehards (you know who you are) because it includes five unreleased tracks and great liner notes by Moe himself. Hopefully, this isn't the last we'll hear from this excellent band.

I have been a fan of the band since Love Junk but got away from them because I couldn't find any of thier cd's. Put a search on Amazon and found this "best of" jem. This cd puts todays music to shame. Big hooks,good guitar work,and interesting lyrics put this band ahead of most of the music of thier time. Saw them live at the Pittsburgh show that Moe refers to in the liner notes ( they got drunk with the Replacements). Listening to this cd brought back that night- the best night of rock and roll of my life! Buy this cd- you won't be dissapointed.

TPOH, looking back, is one of the most underrated bands of the last 15 years. This best of compilation shows the diversity, intelligence, wit and compelling rock riffs that Moe Berg and company have represented over 5 or 6 albums. A great listen, a great Canadian rock act live, and a CD that you should have if you want a snap shot of true musical greatness that has travelled over the past 13 years at a stealth altitude.

I have almost 1000 cds in my collection and none are better than the five from The Pursuit of Happiness. This Canadian band hit the U.S. airwaves with the mildly successful alternative favorite "I'm An Adult Now". This, a song about what the author can't get away with now that he is considered an adult is cleverly written with the catchy hooks and voice of Moe Berg (the author himself) and fantastic backround harmonies of the two ladies in the band. In my humble opinion this band is one of the best because of the unbelievably witty lyric and song writing talent of Moe Berg, those aforementioned female backround harmonies and the early direction of producer Todd Rundgren. While I have all five of their previously released cds (the last two of which were never released in the U.S.) and would recommend them all - this "best of" compilation seems to be the only easy method of getting a listen. It seems that all five cds are now out of print and very hard to find. I found the last two by directly purchasing them from the Canadian label via the net (after lots or searching). Listen ... listen ... and listen again! The songs become more addicting the more you listen to them. This is the only band that could not "wear me out" to their music with repeated listens. In fact it was quite the opposite! My highest recommendation! --- I just wish there was more.

Back at the start of the 90's TPOH was one of my favorite bands, turning all of my friends on to one of the greatest "secrets" of rock and roll. Shortly thereafter, I became a dad and listened to less music, less often. I'd now & then look for a new TPOH cd, never seeing anything here in the States. Well, a friend of mine who is on the ball heard that this Best-of was released and sent me a copy! Moe Berg & TPOH are rock greats! Most people in the U.S. have never heard them, and don't know what they're missing. Pick up this cd, you will agree!

Get these guys back in the studio, pronto! I bought this disc, despite owning the 5 CDs it's culled from, as a gesture of support to one of the great lost bands of the last 15 years. I have loved TPOH from the first drumbeat of "I'm an Adult Now" right through the last echo of "The Truth". A tight, rocking band with wit and humor, TPOH deserves a listen from any fan of smart, snappy music. If you can get enough people hooked with this disc, I would suggest a re-release of their back catalogue. The world deserves a second chance to hear this stuff.

In '88 when I first heard a demo version of 'I'm An Adult Now', I knew this was a band that deserved to be heard (if not adulated) as well as seen. Moe Berg's lyrics, and suitably well-enunciated delivery as well as the tight simplicity of the band's chops made it a college band par excellence.

And even better, one that wrote hummable tunes, one album at a time.

Time passed them by for many reasons, mostly because they never achieved success in the U.S. charts. If they fizzled in Canada, it was because their subsequent albums sounded quite redundant in comparison to 'Love Junk' and it's equally good follow-up "One-Sided Story". They'd shot their load, but not before we were able to hear so many great power pop singles back to back.

"I'm An Adult Now", "New Language", "All I Want", "Hard to Laugh", there seemed to be no end. Kudos for releasing this well-deserved retrospective. All these songs deserve to be accessible.

The best rock and roll band north of the 49th parallel. As one record company put it, the only band to ever "bridge the gap between AC/DC, Abba, and Woody Allen". Kick-a** punk rock licks intertwined with melodic harmonies, and overlayed with sobering and darkly comedic lyrics. Okay, so my musical vernacular isn't doing this band justice - just by the album already! You won't regret it.