Happy., Liarliar
Rude Records
Happy. have been making us extra… well, happy, with their deliciously upbeat pop-rock all summer. They kicked off the hype for their sophomore album Impostor Syndrome with Sick Is The New Sane back in June, then turned up the heat with the impossibly catchy A Cure For Wellness, and they’ve not faltered with latest single Liarliar.
You know it’s guaranteed to be a classic from the first note – Stacy’s Mom-esque muted guitar chords back up the already-infectious verse, golden-era pop-punk to a T. The track doesn’t stay muted for long at all though, drums and juddering bass driving Liarliar into its explosive chorus. The bridge comes through to bolster the pop side of Happy.’s pop-rock, a shimmering chime of a guitar solo leaving you feeling totally sunny.
Liarliar, like Happy.’s entire discography, practically jitters with an invitation to sing along. Whether it’s jumping up and down at a raucous live show (we can but wish) or speeding along in a car with the windows down, Liarliar’s chorus is made to be played LOUD. Despite its radio-ready bubbliness, Liarliar doesn’t shy away from unforgiving subject matter, providing an unapologetic, cathartic look at mental health recovery with a supernova of a soundtrack. It seems like a Happy. trademark to go tough on the subject matter with a backing track that’s the total opposite of melancholy, and we’re loving it – bring on Impostor Syndrome.
Impostor Syndrome is out October 30th.