When it comes to Happy Little Clouds, the picture that’s been painted with all the singles released (Dating all the way back to February of 2024 with “The Emperor’s Song”) up until now has been a compelling one… so it should come as little surprise that we were STOKED the moment we saw the upcoming double bill of Eddie Japan and HLC (Deets on that a little later) was listed as an album release show for the Jac Mestel-fronted unit! And we were even more stoked when Embers came across ye olde digital desk before the impending release date. And then even more stoked that THAT when Happy Little Clouds’s new full-length LP more than delivered what we’d been anticipating with nine tracks of pure “Grit-Pop” and a whole lot more.
“Higher” was the first new single from Happy Little Clouds to drop in 2025 and as an opener, it makes so much sense (It made sense outside of the realm of the record as well) by bringing HLC’s unique blend of Indie Alternative with drummer Jess Townsend and bassist Derek Bergstrom immediately forming that symbiotic rhythmic bond as Mestel lays down some solid shreds and soulful croons. “Liar Fire” starts out like some previously unheard Franz Ferdinand until those airy synths by Mestel twinkle in, turning the jam into a Devo rager instead while “Clear And Present Danger” is a mix of “Stop Children What’s That Sound”, Green Day (The bass tones reminds us of “Longview” and Basket Case era), and The Police’s brand of Reggae-inspired Punk.
“Lungs” is even more integral within the Embers context with its’ all encompassing message of “We are the way we are” and “The Emperor’s Song” is still so coool sounding (The extra “o” is to emphasize how truly rad the song is) well over a year after its’ initial release in early 2024 with a bombastic, electric presence. “I’m Not There” bursts straight from the Grunge era and a vibe not unlike 4 Non Blondes mixed with Screaming Trees or Mother Love Bone in terms of sonic intricacies which flows nicely into the rumblin’ Blues-infused riot of “Offswitch” with “I Don’t Suppose” dipping its’ toes back into the ’90’s waters. Speaking of waters, “The Water At Your Feet” is an epic closer in an The Odyssey kind of way with a solemn sonic soliloquy that speaks volumes as to how far Happy Little Clouds has come as musicians (And Jac Mestel as a songwriter) since the release of their last LP almost ten years out now.
Embers drops on July 18th with that aforementioned show with Eddie Japan happening the next night at The Burren (That would be July 19th with tix available here). To get your own copy of the fab new HLC release head here or to the stream below and for all other things Happy Little Clouds-related, hit the socials which can be found conveniently all located together when you click here.