Review by Anthony Nguyen & Staff
The Happy Curmudgeons are a group of studio musicians mainly from the metro Detroit area. The group was formed by Dave Hamilton and they released their first album, Meant 2 Be, in Dec. 2017. The band is currently working on their second album with producer, Mark Byerly.
“Bar Hoppin” by the Happy Curmudgeons is an infectiously bright song and is shaping up to be one of the sleeper hits of this summer. The guitars are nice and bright where they need to be, but never take away focus from the vocals. The drum and bass have a fantastic synergy, laying down a tight foundation that glues the whole song together. It feels like both players are exuding energy with every note, and it makes the song electric. The vocals fit the band and song perfectly, with a laid back and relaxed tone that makes it feel like a Saturday night in the middle of a Wednesday afternoon. The whole band plays together as such a strong unit, and there is not a dull moment in the whole piece.
The intro and first verse are deceptively mellow, while being surprisingly riveting to listen to. The vibe is so enticing that by the time the chorus rolls in and the whole song is in full swing heads will already be bobbing. The guitar riffs that fill in the song every now and then along with the tight rhythm section ensure that the song chugs along with no hiccups. There is a small breakdown/solo section in the middle of the song that provides an excellent breather for the whole piece, while the solo itself is powerful and excellently played. A superb showcase for musicianship. The final outro going into the last chorus is a showcase on how to end a song, with all the players preforming their hearts out.
The song manages to invoke that special feeling of walking out of work on Friday and getting ready to head out on the town. That unmistakable sense of euphoria and excitement are themes and emotions the song positively nails. “Bar hoppin on a Saturday night, Sunday mornin' feels alright with you”, these lyrics convey that sentiment completely.
There was a time when we all could do these things, and this song gives us hope we probably will sometime soon, and that’s a monumental achievement. “Bar Hoppin” by the Happy Crumudgeons is a brilliantly uplifting song with a particularly standout performance from the band.
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