After more than three years without a new LP, the Happy Fits dropped their longest album yet Sept. 19. Perfect for fans of indie rock staples like Vampire Weekend, Saint Motel, and Good Kid, the Happy Fits have provided the same type of upbeat electrifying hits since their breakout EP, “Awfully Apeelin’,” in 2016.
The band began their fruitful career in a New Jersey high school when frontman Calvin Langman (lead vocals, cello) was approached by fellow student Ross Monteith (guitar, backing vocals). Drummer Luke Davis joined the band before their first LP, “Concentrate.” Since then, however, they have gone through some massive changes. Now instead of an all-male trio, the band consists of a co-ed group of four.
That being said, “Lovesick” has all the hallmarks of a classic Fits album and is a welcome step forward for the band. The album comes in at just under an hour with 15 new songs exploring the band’s signature sound with influences from new genres.
The opener, “Do You See Me?” is surprisingly raw and acoustic compared to earlier sounds the band have trafficked in. Although the lyrics are relatively simple, Langman’s signature cello has an impressive growling quality, especially as it supports newcomers Nico Rose (guitar/vocals) and Raina Mullen (vocals/guitar) on backup vocals. However, the album doesn’t really get started until “Everything You Do,” an upbeat number initially released May 1 as the album’s lead single. With its catchy chorus and buoyant tone, it’s everything you would expect from the band. The song was also most fans’ introduction to new members Nico Rose and Raina Mullen; in the final chorus, Langman and the instrumentals back off, leaving Mullen with an auditory spotlight shining on her clear, melodic voice. It was hard at first to get used to her alto crooning in what had previously been an all-male band, but this single was a fantastic way to showcase her voice. The intro also has impeccable ABBA-vibes that I will always appreciate.
Another staple of a Happy Fits album is a poppy single about unrequited love, and “Cruel Power” happily fits the bill. However, unlike the song’s predecessors “She Wants Me (To Be Loved)” and “Relimerance,” “Cruel Power” has a distinct edge and bitterness in its delivery. The song expresses the feelings of a narrator who is plant-sitting for someone who, despite being taken, continually leads him on but never makes a move. In the bridge, Mullen plays the role of the temptress, singing, “And I’m back inside your head again / You’re watering my dying plants / So happy that we can be friends / You’re holding on ’til the bitter end,” as she gleefully revels in the power she wields.
“I Could Stare at You For Hours” marks the midway point of the album and encapsulates the overwhelming sense of fond adoration that one feels when watching a loved one do something mundane: “Well here we are in my apartment / Laughing at a joke that wasn’t funny.” The song once again tackles themes of yearning and unrequited love: “Well I’ve been wandering inside a reverie / Of how to make you love me / So happily delusional / Deception for a miracle.” The structure of the song is powerful, shifting quickly between quiet acoustic strumming and sweeping orchestral swells. My only gripe is that the mixing is a little overzealous and I find myself having to crank the volume up for the verses and back down at the climaxes.
Immediately after comes “Sarah’s Song,” which is reminiscent of a few artists from across the pond, especially mid-career Beatles and Elton John. Despite the happy beat and cheerful whistles, the song discusses the duality of life and love and how it can wreak simultaneous joy and pain upon us all.
“Wild in Love” is another favorite of mine. This song is the first to feature Davis’ voice prominently; while his tone is less distinctive than Langman’s, it’s nevertheless a welcome surprise. The chorus is perhaps a little close to that of “Carried Away” by Passion Pit but not so close as to make me want to call, “Plagiarism!” This, like many songs off “Lovesick,” will certainly be making the cut for my next gym playlist.
Genre bending has been a theme across this album and “Black Hole” is the clearest example. Starting with its upbeat opening riff, this track is unabashedly weird and in your face. Despite fitting in with the other indie rock songs on the album, I sense that “Black Hole” was also modeled after ’80s new wave and the track would only need some added synth to fit right in with the Stranger Things soundtrack. Notably, in “Do You See Me,” there’s a subtle nod to the band Electric Light Orchestra in the backing vocals, and the ELO influence on “Black Hole” is clear.
In a dramatic tone shift after “Black Hole” comes “Superior,” which is probably the slowest song on the album but also my absolute favorite. The song grapples with the desperate yearning that follows leaving a lover behind, in the case of a less-than-clean break. I’m a sucker for harp which is prominently featured across the song and compliments emotional lyrics such as, “Drove for miles through the coldest winter … I could hear you / Today ever clearer / From home to Superior … All I want is to hear you again.” The first time I listened, I felt a wave of nostalgia for Taylor Swift’s early soft-rock ballads on “Speak Now” and “Red.” For non-swifties, I would describe the vibe as a mix between Lizzie McAlpine and the Fray. I think that if the Fits ever released an acoustic version of this track I could die a happy listener.
“I Remember,” the final song, fits the bill of a perfect album ender. It’s catchy, yet reserved. The guitar is crisp in a way that seems to clear the air of the gloom of the two preceding tracks and the drums keep up the pace in a way that feels like new beginnings and rebirth. The looping in the intro builds in a way as if to invite you to step out into the sunlight for the first time in months. And yet there’s a sense of dissonance between the music and lyrics which relate to a festering wound of a relationship that you just can’t let go of: “I swear I could dream you were the one // If I could change your memory / I’d burn through words I meant to say, but could never speak // I wanna be with you again / I wanna say how sorry I am.” Although the instrumentation suggests feelings of cutting things off and breathing clean air, the lyrics of “I Remember” evoke the weight of a suffocating ghost of something that never could have been.
If you’re looking for somewhere to start, I’d suggest “Everything You Do,” “The Nerve,” “Wild in Love,” and “Cruel Power” if you’re looking for an upbeat pick-me-up. On the other hand, “Sarah’s Song,” “Black Hole,” “Lovesick #1 (Misery),” and “Superior” provide a great sample of the various new sounds showcased on the album. Overall I had high expectations for this album, and these were thoroughly surpassed. With so much material I am certain that this album will last me until I can get my next (happy) fix.
