Daniel Wylie - The High Cost Of Happiness

  by Anthony Strutt

published: 6 / 7 / 2006

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Review

'The High Cost of Happiness' is Daniel Wylie's third album since he left the Cosmic Rough Riders. While he is a short guy in height his songs stand tall and are very much as grand as those of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson. Full of summer sunshine, this is the perfect time to listen to his music. 'The High Cost of Happiness' opens with 'This Was the Day', which is perky, sharp and happy as is most of the rest of this CD. It has an upbeat summer feel, and is a song about the joy of meeting a new lover, and the promises you both make to each other. 'Tell Them The Truth' recalls the Teenage Fanclub and the Byrds. It is full of fantastic harmonies but starts off with a weird rhythm that is great. 'I Wouldn't Lie' is slow, moody and reflective, coming across as sounding like a combination between the Field Mice and the Beach Boys. 'I Wanna Hold You' is similarly charming, once again finding Wylie on Beach Boys territory, and is also reminiscent of Neil Young. 'Define Love' also recollects the Field Mice and sounds like it was written in California. 'Broadcast News', is pleasant, happy and thoughtful, while 'The Sound of Children' sounds like an acoustic REM during their 'Out of Time' era. You're the One That's Going Down' is big pop fun in a 60's classic way, while 'Move in With Me' sounds like a cross between Belle and Sebastian and the Beach Boys with elements of ELO and George Harrison in its guitar solos thrown in. 'Rainbow City' sounds like the Beatles' 'Yellow Submarine' in its narative delivery, while 'Where the Time Goes' has the edge to it of the Stones' 'Let's Spend the Night Together'. 'Can You Feel the Love ?' is happy in a Beach Boys way and a good way to end the album.

Track Listing:-

1 That Was the Day
2 Tell Them the Truth
3 I Wouldn't Lie
4 I Wanna Hold You
5 Define Love
6 Broadcast News
7 The Sound of Children
8 You're the Only One That's Going Down
9 Move In With Me
10 Rainbow City
11 Where the Time Goes
12 Can You Feel the Love
13 Let's Go Surfing (Bonus Track)
14 Walking In My Shoes (Bonus Track)
15 A Song for the Lonely (Bonus Track)