Rocktrospective: The Brilliant "Happiness In Magazines" Turns 20

 

Released on May 17th., 2004, "Happiness In Magazines" was Graxam Coxon fifth solo album, produced by Stephed Street, it was Coxon's most commercially successful album to date, reaching No. 19 on UK Charts, the album spawned four singles "Freakin' Out", "Bittersweet Bundle Of Misery", "Spectacular", & "All Over Me". 

 

This album proved that Coxon had enough talent to shine for himself besides Blur, with his distinctive power pop sound inspired by indie american bands, usually being forbiden from his former obviously this was one of the main reason why Coxon and Blur parted ways, ironically this released proved that Coxon was the most prolific member of the band and also the most adventurous. 

 

"All Over Me" was yielded by a powerful presence of strings and synth arpeggio, good enough to capture mainstream insterest, another fantastic well-structurally track is "Girl Done Gone", powered by uninspired vocal performance and a minimalistic aproach to blues rock, definitely a record full of contradictions here in where Coxon seemed to found a harmonius paradox, the album opener "Spectacular" is definitely my favourite tune here, trendy and full of power pop vibe besides what for many people the real pinnacle was with "All Over Me" considered the album's most visceral song and constructing from something out there, obviosly the album had some fill spots like "Hopeless Friend" and the shameless "A Quick One (While He's Away), "People Of The Earth" sounds like The Fall but it's kinda of flat, even thought, Coxon managed to place everything nice here, from the opening guitar pelads of "Girl Done Gone", through the anthemic chorus of "Freakin' Out", the replete acoustic strumming and rudimentary vocal on "Bittersweet Bundle OF Misery".

 

The album was fair in quality, sound and production, considered his most brilliant and commercial stuff, obviously that Coxon was copying or recyclating from everywhere, this record maintains the balance on rocky sound with certain pop vibes, receiving generally favourable reviews back then, proving that this was his most amazing and astonishing album released to date. 

 

Happiness In Magazines Track List:

 

1. Spectacular

2. No Good Time

3. Girl Done Gone

4. Bittersweet Bundle Of Misery

5. All Over Me

6. Freakin' Out

7. People Of The Earth

8. Hopeless Friend

9. Are You Ready?

10. Bottom Bunk

11. Don't Be A Stranger

12. Ribbons And Leaves