When Happyness first burst into the public conscience with 2013’s debut single 'It’s On You', their spirited take on US college rock was as big a surprise as it was an instant hit. The resulting full length, Weird Little Birthday, went on to feature in many of 2014’s End of Year album lists. So it was with some anticipation that the band finally set about releasing the follow-up into the world...

It's weird. I really enjoyed Happyness's Weird Little Birthday, but I just couldn't get on with Write In. In fact, it felt like a totally different outfit and a huge step backwards. No doubt there will be those that love what they deliver here, but for me, unlike the previous release, there was little that stood out and made me want to listen to the album again. In fact, if it weren't for the fact I was reviewing it I probably wouldn't have played it more than once. As it was I listened to it on and off for the best part of a month, hoping to find something positive to say.

It's not that it's a bad album, far from it. It's just that there's very little that makes it stand out from other indie albums in a similar vein. The LP contains 10 songs (45 min, 11 sec).

5

Nick Smithson