Artist: Happy Rhodes
Album title: Building the Colossus
Year: 1994
Album link: https://open.spotify.com/album/4YXpNU2es1uhSKEE67qSLf
Happy Rhodes is a pretty obscure 80's/90's artist who I only know of because a retrospective collection of some of her early material was published recently.
After hearing that compilation album, I managed to get one of her 90's albums on CD, which felt like an important event, because I get kind of carried away when I find a new artist that excites me.
Happy Rhodes
The music here is almost entirely in service of Rhodes' elaborate vocal melodies and vocal overdubs. Some songs even have some pretty 90's sounding beats, but you will find a lot of different types of arrangements on this album. Some songs feel a bit funky, some melancholy and atmospheric, some almost a bit dance-able.
Check out the awesome bass, keyboard and guitar backdrop in the song "Omar". Also notice how the music suddenly sounds like something from Bowie's "Labyrinth" soundtrack for a second just before it kicks into a vocal bridge, then goes back to it's drop-dead-gorgeous, darkly beautiful, moody verses. We also get some simple but wonderful guitar lead work a bit into the song. Not least, Rhodes' voice is ****ing amazing all the way through this song. Her lows, her highs... all just impeccable. This song is "all time favourites" material for me.
I don't think the music is all that deep in general on this album, or what I've heard from other Happy Rhodes albums, so there's no doubt that you've got to connect with her singing style and voice to find anything of value here. Personally, I'm totally on board and very happy that I found Happy. Sorry.
Highlights:
Collective Heart
Omar
You Never Told Me
If I Ever See The Girl Again