The Underground of Happiness

This review first appeared in Cork webzine Noise . I missed Grand Pocket Orchestra’s first album, The Ice Cream , so this is my first sustained exposure to a band I’ve heard good things about. Therefore, in this review I’ll be confining myself to talking about their second album. So what we have here is… …A set of sublime teenage symphonies, sounding like they were put together in a garage, mixed with a barrage of pleasing no wave elements (you would think Daniel Johnston is a strong influence) and bursting at the seams with pop hooks. The songs deal with everyday, mundane topics, basically the important things in life – the joys of coffee ( Coffee cup ), weekends away under the stars ( Camping ) and a desire to try new sexual positions ( Pinkywolf ). On first listen, I couldn’t get enough of the gorgeous Sulphurous stain , which counterpoints a low electric guitar growl with light and carefree glockenspiel. And the way that Five pairs of fingers superbly marshals a series o...