Happy Refugees - Return to Last Chance Saloon

  by Maarten Schiethart

published: 8 / 1 / 2012

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It must have been the dominant piano in many of Happy Refugees’ tracks which put off the 'indie' record music industry, and their clientele, nearly 30 years ago. Naming their record label Gymnasium, whilst sounding a bit feeble, did not help much either. Using the piano, and, worse, knowing how play the keys on such bourgeois household furniture, may have been the exact reason for Happy Refugees’ striking unpopularity. Their ramshackle hammering of the keys on the piano has been very much misunderstood. In many ways Happy Refugees were the melodic answer to the Fall. Without the political pamphlets though, Happy Refugees, however, could never be the antidote to them. All of their best moments have been captured on this re-issue. 'Enshrined in a Memory' still stands proud and strong enough to blow away Echo & the Funnymen and folk of similar ilk. The glorious sounds of 'Warehouse Sound', for example, pave the way for the House of Love's 'Shine On', without doubt claiming for Happy Refugees their place in history. Happy Refugees were around only for a short stint, and it happened to be around the time that the Fall sold out and signed with Beggars Banquet and released their coloured vinyl single, 'Oh, Brother'. 'This Is Cold' now sounds as a magnificent Happy Refugees intermezzo, leading in to 'Falling for You', and notwithstanding the utterly blunt and honest 'Inertia', which follows next. It is hard to understand that it has taken over 25 years before 'Last Chance Saloon' has got the recognition it fully deserves, yet here it is!

Track Listing:-

1 Screaming and Shouting
2 This Is Cold
3 Falling for You
4 Inertia
5 Last Chance Saloon
6 Hamburger Boy
7 Bury Me
8 Enshrined in a Memory
9 Warehouse Sound
10 When the Tide Turns
11 Cold Shower
12 Kick in the Shins (Politics)
13 This Is Cold (Reel 2 Version)
14 Falling For You (Reel 2 Version)
15 Inertia (Reel 2 Version)
16 Last Chance Saloon
17 Bury Me (Reel 2 Version)
18 Enshrined In A Memory (Pet Sounds Demo)
19 Warehouse Sound (Pet Sounds Demo)

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/HappyRefugees
http://www.happyrefugees.com/index.html
https://twitter.com/HappyRefugees

Label Links:-

http://acuterecords.com/blog/
https://www.facebook.com/Acute-Records-304608789347/

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