ALBUM REVIEW: Imposter Syndrome – Happy.

There’s just something about the era of the early 2000’s cinema soundtracks that captured the zeitgeist so well. All the pop-punk hooks and a bit of snarl from bands like SUM 41 and AMERICAN HI-FI set a tone of innocence with a helping of angst and real trauma bubbling just below the surface. It’s this cloth that South Carolina pop punk trio HAPPY. and their sophomore album Imposter Syndrome are cut from. However, that statement is far too simple to describe the band, as their influences seem to stretch the gamut of the genre’s history. From classic pop punk to the sunny pop punk of the mid 00s, to the full on sad boy emo/pop punk crossover of the late 00s and early 10s, HAPPY. cover all the ground on this new record, and they do it in a way that not only shows off a diverse sonic palate, but a sense of genuine emotion and lyrical plainness that can speak to the hearts of many.

There are certainly songs on Imposter Syndrome that scratch that classic American Pie-esque itch right off the bat. Tracks like Hooky and Dull Boy are pure innocent fun, speaking to the joy of relationships and the freewheeling lifestyle that the band and party lifestyle afford. The sunny guitar, courtesy of John Palmer sounds right in line with those formative years, and is an instant hit of both nostalgia and serotonin. Frontman Tate Logan has a voice on the lighter and more melodic side of the vocalist spectrum, but that leads to some really great hooks and very pleasing tones taken on this record, especially on tracks like Background Noise which falls more into that mid 2000s sound range popularised by bands like ALL TIME LOW and CARTEL.

A little more punch on the production would have served the record well, as the mix comes across as just a tad thinner than it should be. Tracks like the bouncy After School Special would have a bit more immediacy and fill the ears a bit more if the each instrument was pushed a bit louder, but it certainly doesn’t detract much from the record. The record is, on the whole, a breath of fresh positive air as the songs are breezy and as sweet as candy. It is unabashedly sunny in tone, at least musically, as tracks like Liarliar and June Gloom are sure to bring to mind the purest of high school memories, or at least transport back to a simpler time in the listener’s life.

However, right below the surface of a deal of the album is a plain spoken and plaintive pain that adds a sense of maturity that manifests as very real darkness and deep compassion. Black Picket Fence hits like a relatable gut punch to any working couple struggling with the effects of physical and mental fatigue. It’s the depiction of the love a partner has for their other half that feels so close to home, and Logan’s delivery is soft, gentle and perfectly lilting. It’s a wonderful closer and one of the best tracks on the record.

Also falling into this category is the equally heartbreaking and uplifting April Is For Fools, which finds Logan speaking to his best friend, who tragically passed away from suicide. Instead of a mournful dirge, the song is an upbeat tribute; an energetic remembrance of a life that was lived full of adventure and vibrancy before being taken away. It’s a song about all the memories that will not be made, and the wistful smiles that comes from the ones that were. It’s another incredibly moving track, and there’s no real pretentiousness at all in either of these two tracks that could taint their effectiveness. A+ to both.

In fact, the lack of pretentiousness is perhaps the best way to sum up HAPPY.’s Imposter Syndrome. There is nothing contrived here. It all feels very pure and from the heart, the way that all music should be, but especially pop-punk, a genre which is often mired by its sense of falseness at times. Sure there are sugary lyrics that may come off as a bit cheesy on a song here and there, and the aforementioned mix is a bit thinner than it needs to be. But this is an album with focused, simple playing, solid hooks, and a sunny vibe that has a great deal of emotional power lying in wait for those that listen closely. It’s a tight record that runs the gamut of everything that makes the best of pop-punk so great. With some small tweaks, HAPPY. will be at the forefront of returning today’s pop-punk to what made it a phenomenon in decades past.

Rating: 7/10

Imposter Syndrome is out now via Rude Records. 

Like HAPPY. on Facebook.