‘What Could Be Better’ Review

Don’t be fooled by the title of the opening track Go Dumb, the happy fits are back with another round of happy melancholic indie vibes. Calvin Langman, Ross Monteith, and Luke Davis have crafted another collection of heartfelt honest tracks that can’t help but bring a smile to your face, this time with a more defined and unified sound. I feel this album is one part the Strokes and another part The Beach Boys. Songs like The Garden and What Could Be Better remind me of the seminal piece of The Beach Boys Pet Sounds. These songs are incredibly artistic and just leave standard musical norms as an afterthought. While Get a Job and Hold Me Down directly bring me back to the alt-rock sounds of the early 2000’s.

The opening single to the track Go Dumb functions as Calvin’s manifesto against the attacks he heard growing up that music is simply a pleasant hobby, but it’s nothing more than mindless expression. Calvin seems to be saying if making and listening to music is “going dumb” then sign him up. Calvin seems to be arguing that music holds real substance that is valuable to us as human beings. He found freedom and deep connections with the emotions and thoughts shared in music and feels it is a subject as vital to the human experience as math or science.

While the overall sound of the record is incredibly upbeat there are deeply honest moments throughout that give you a glimpse at the human struggles these men face in their daily lives. No Instructions is a track where Calvin seems to be discussing the confusion and anxiety of everyday personal conflict.

Love is a pretty consistent theme throughout their whole discography, we see that here with songs like Moving, Two of Many, and She Wants Me (To Be Loved). These songs don’t topple over each other, but compliment each other as exploring different aspects of romantic love.

Sailing is a song exploring the depths of loneliness and the beauty of friendship. The melody compliments Ross’ voice in a smooth therapeutic ballad searching for friendship.

Songwriter Calvin Langman consistently brings a balance of honest emotion, human commentary, and musical creativity to the record. This is something that fans of the Happy Fits have come to cherish. That being said the musical contributions of Ross and Luke are very much appreciated. The three together have an energetic and fun stage presence which is well worth the price of admission. There is also something to be said about the obvious chemistry that these three have in terms of friendship and shared passion for the music.

This album is definitely worth checking out

4.75/5