- Audio CD (Jun 6 1995)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Format: Import
- Label: Universal Music Group
- ASIN: B000001EDA
- Other Editions: Audio CD | Audio Cassette | LP Record
- Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
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Product Details |
Track Listings
| 1. God Inside My Head |
| 2. Waydown |
| 3. Little Muscle |
| 4. Heal |
| 5. Empty Head |
| 6. Receive |
| 7. My Exhibition |
| 8. Eat My Dust You Insensitive Fuck |
| 9. Shocking |
| 10. Love Tips Up |
| 11. Judy Staring At The Sun |
| 12. Hole |
| 13. Fizzy Love |
| 14. Kill My Soul |
Product Description
From Amazon.com
Blowing away any hint of its shoe-gazing past, Catherine Wheel have matured into a swaggering, boys-with-big-guitars outfit capable of turning on the style and mainstream appeal. "Little Muscle" and "Shocking" are standout songs. --Jeff Bateman
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Diamonds live forever...
Feb 26 2002
Format:Audio CD
I do have a suspicion that this record was lost under the aspyxiating pressure of grunge, britpop, crossover and nu-metal in the 90s, but whichever the case this is probably one of the most underrated records of the past decade.
Catherine wheel are one of these groups one would call generally "good", but you know, this alone wouldn't qulaify them as "must-know-them". That is if "Happy days" didn't exist.
This LP is nothing short of a masterpiece. A masterpiece of what? Hmm, hard to say. The music is hard enough but it's certainly not metal. It's rocky enough and accesible enough but it's not pop. Is it just a rock record? I guess if you must come up with an epithet it is, but then it's a very-very unique one.
It's uniqueness is characterised by a great vocalist who changes effortlessly from an angry performer to a velvet-voice crooner to heartbroken "alternative rocker" without blinking an eye. And its music is possibly as original as any of the so called "classic" LPs of the 90s.
It would be no exaggeration to say that you're in for a treat while listening to this. You'll hear rock recipes you've never heard before and vocal tricks you havent stumbled upon either.
The lyrics are often ironic, often angry, and delivered in true sharpness (a smooth calm voice singing "Eat my dust you insensitive f**k", for example).
But to me, the true strength of the record lies in the fact that for 15 songs there is no letdown, no fillers, and not only that, but all 15 songs on this album could easily be hit singles. Why werent they? Well, because that's not how the music industry works, and this is definately NOT the first great record of anyone to go widely unnoticed.
While Catherine wheel did get some press coverage for their "Chrome" LP, "Happy days" is their true peak. I know that this may sound a bit weird but i am of the opinion that this album rates among the top-20 albums i've heard all through the past decade and i worked in a record store for the past 10 years.
Do yourself a favor and discover this. No risk involved.
Catherine wheel are one of these groups one would call generally "good", but you know, this alone wouldn't qulaify them as "must-know-them". That is if "Happy days" didn't exist.
This LP is nothing short of a masterpiece. A masterpiece of what? Hmm, hard to say. The music is hard enough but it's certainly not metal. It's rocky enough and accesible enough but it's not pop. Is it just a rock record? I guess if you must come up with an epithet it is, but then it's a very-very unique one.
It's uniqueness is characterised by a great vocalist who changes effortlessly from an angry performer to a velvet-voice crooner to heartbroken "alternative rocker" without blinking an eye. And its music is possibly as original as any of the so called "classic" LPs of the 90s.
It would be no exaggeration to say that you're in for a treat while listening to this. You'll hear rock recipes you've never heard before and vocal tricks you havent stumbled upon either.
The lyrics are often ironic, often angry, and delivered in true sharpness (a smooth calm voice singing "Eat my dust you insensitive f**k", for example).
But to me, the true strength of the record lies in the fact that for 15 songs there is no letdown, no fillers, and not only that, but all 15 songs on this album could easily be hit singles. Why werent they? Well, because that's not how the music industry works, and this is definately NOT the first great record of anyone to go widely unnoticed.
While Catherine wheel did get some press coverage for their "Chrome" LP, "Happy days" is their true peak. I know that this may sound a bit weird but i am of the opinion that this album rates among the top-20 albums i've heard all through the past decade and i worked in a record store for the past 10 years.
Do yourself a favor and discover this. No risk involved.
"It's how high you are and the time it takes to heal"
Mar 11 2004
Format:Audio CD
Happy Days is the third and last of the great albums put out by Catherine Wheel (IMO, the next release, Adam & Eve, was a few steps backwards for the band). The title is very ironic as this album is the band's most intense, angry, heavy, and abrasive release. As always, they start off with a rocker. "God Inside My Head" is very heavy: "A mushroom cloud!" Almost metal with killer guitar and bass but also catchy with excellent duel vocals. "Waydown" was the first single off this album and I was not impressed with it. Most of the tracks here are much better. "Little Muscle," and "Empty Head," are killer rockers. "Receive" is amazing and offers some of Rob Dickinson's best vocal work: "I destroy myself!" "Hole" is also a highlight in tortured vocals. "My Exhibition" is almost thrash. More accessible tracks include the catchy "Shocking" and "Judy Staring at the Sun," the latter of which features the backing vocals of Throwing Muses co-founder, Pixies and Breeders vocalist, and Belly founder Tanya Donelly. The ultimate gem here, however, is "Heal." I could almost to put this track ahead of "Black Metallic" as Catherine Wheel's best song but...not quite. It's close, though. It is unbelievable and worth a CD purchase by itself. Happy Days broke Catherine Wheel out of the shoegazer mold. It is not their most solid album (was "Eat My Dust You Insensitive ****" really necessary?) but is still excellent. If you like your alternative rock on the heavy side, this album is for you. Rob Dickinson's heavy metal relative Bruce Dickinson may have had an influence on this album!
Sexy, Self-Obsessed, Very Intense
Mar 4 2004
Format:Audio CD
This is heavy, guitar-driven rock. HAPPY DAYS has much more of a conventional rock sound than the dreamier atmospheric guitar wash of previous albums, but the music is far from typical. The album tackles the subject of self-indulgence (not unfamiliar ground for CW) both celebrating it and portraying its ups and downs. Relationships are also explored as well as drug behavior and self-destructive thinking.
As good as the heavy songs are (most fit that description), the slow songs could be the best. "Eat My Dust You Insensitive F***" has a quiet power that really grabs hold while "Fizzy Love" is encircling, sensuous and sexy. Its string section is brilliant, too. Each song is truly great except for the limp "Shocking" and "Judy Staring At The Sun." "Judy" is good but not the greatest. I do like Tanya Donolly's contribution to "Judy" although it was slightly better before Rob Dickenson stole one of her lines (that she originally had on an early promo tape of the album that I have). It just goes to show his selfish trip is for real, I guess! My favorite song is the joyous "Love Tips Up" even though I tend to favor the darker material.
I must admit, I really dig male singers with sexy voices like Jim Morrison, Gavin Rossdale and CW's Rob Dickenson even though I'm a heterosexual male. It must have something to do with imagining the singer is me . . . anyway, I have no doubt I'm not the only one who thinks that Rob fits into this category. There's something hedonistic, almost luxurious about his deep, dreamy voice. His songs sound quite convincing, so I imagine he's singing from a place of experience. It may take a listener who's "been there" to fully appreciate these songs, but anyone can jam on this excellent rock 'n' roll.
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Most recent customer reviews
Catherine Wheel's most sonic album
I would say that this album would fit into my top ten 90's albums. In your face songs like "Waydown", to the mellow, haunting sarcasm of "Eat My Dust, You... Read more
Published on May 9 2003 by Michael Solomon
Can't go wrong with this one
As with some of Catherine Wheel's albums, this one takes a little getting used to. Once it starts to grow on you, however, there is no denying the true genius in their music. Read more
Published on April 15 2003
Couple of gems
I bought Happy Days, along with a dozen other CDs, on a trip to Scotland in '96. An Irish friend whose musical tastes I generally shared recommended I seek it out. Read more
Published on Sep 23 2002 by Richard Westerfield
Rockin' on their own terms
The Catherine Wheel had been building slowly to this kind of album. Ferment was a shoegazer classic, Chrome rocked a little more but still messed with the old style, and then they... Read more
Published on Mar 24 2002 by Steven Grogan
one of my top five albums by any artist!
This is the first Catherine Wheel CD I got. I didn't really want it. I wanted Ferment, or Chrome, or Adam and Eve. I bought it anyway, it was used. Read more
Published on Oct 19 2001 by J. Austin
Something wrong here, but has moments of greatness
This is the Catherine Wheel's least accessible album. It is just too abrasive for the most part. It has some excellent tracks, though: God inside my head, Heal, Eat my dust... Read more
Published on May 28 2001 by Fredric A. Cooper
uncomfortable
embracing the post-grunge tidal wave, the catherine wheel promised to "go metal" since after "chrome". Read more
Published on July 10 2000 by spiral
great great great
it's a great album although not my favorite of catherine wheel's. this album rocks. it rocks in a way that is different from how chrome rocks. Read more
Published on Mar 24 2000
CW edgiest album and it rocks!
You cannot go wrong with any CW album...They put together an album that rocks from start to finish with this creation.. just when you think they might be slowing down the tempo... Read more
Published on Jan 13 2000 by "phantomof2000"
CW edgiest album and it rocks!
You cannot go wrong with any CW album...They put together an album that rocks from start to finish with this creation.. just when you think they might be slowing down the tempo... Read more
Published on Jan 13 2000 by "phantomof2000"
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