Proving itself to be almost totally discordant from the accompanying eleven tracks, ‘Holy Ground’ is fantastic. Hearing that single and being pumped for the full LP only to be hugely disappointed was a cruel reality, vibrant and engaging it sadly does not reflect the record. Unlike their contemporaries in bands like Wavves and Nai Harvest, Happy Diving have failed to create interesting ambient landscapes. Plodding and tiresome, nothing grabs the attention of the listener. When attempting to go full throttle with an injection pace they deliver weak sounding, uninspiring riffs shrouded in feedback.
‘Don’t Be Afraid of Love’ is brilliant, the removal of the all too often lazy vocal style is definitely a factor. A scuzzy pairing of sunny riffs with an underlying grungy tone is only made better by the backdrop of hugely complimentary drum hits.
There is something distinctly Oakland about this record, it’s nimble song structure and low-fi aesthetic are good examples. Unfortunately, far outweighing the positives are the poisonous negatives. It’s overriding lame cool guy desires are most notably cringe worthy. In an attempt to best their previous material, the California band have fallen devastatingly short.
LEW TROTT