album: Be Happy
Reviews:
Empire UK
With their latest release, a concise 10-track collection titled
with, one hopes, a glimmer of irony, Be Happy, perennial L.A. combo
[Patrolled By Radar] distance themselves yet further from the Alt
Country label that they’ve sported somewhat uncomfortably since they
ventured onto the scene some eleven years and four albums ago.
As labels go, Americana is even vaguer than Alt Country but at least
it suggests a broader canvass, which is useful in this case. It also
evokes plenty of evocative stuff like crackly valve radios,
roadhouse crooners, bad whisky and worse women, all of which
resonate fulsomely throughout Be Happy, an album riven with enough
heartache, yearning and pain to satisfy the most die-hard C&W fans.
It also retains the band’s notorious balance of crunch and twang -
thunderous drums, rock solid bass and guitars that jangle and shred
in harmonious accord.
But it’s obvious that frontman and songwriter Jay Souza looks
farther afield for his inspiration than Nashville - or, indeed, the
United States. It’s not uncommon to read comments like “Johnny Cash
meets The Beatles” in [Patrolled By Radar] reviews, and they do have
some currency. There is, in the sly lyrics and brisk song
structures, echoes of classic Britpop that, to these ears at least,
recalls The Kinks and The Who more readily than The Beatles.
That said, Be Happy never strays far from its roots, which are
firmly planted in the American heartland. Be Happy is [Patrolled By
Radar's] most ambitious and satisfying album by far, a culmination
of fully matured songwriting, superb musicianship and a confident
and unique blend of styles. And the only label you need for that is
damn fine rock and roll.
Simon Braund
The Open Road-KCRW
Wowza for Jay Souza. [Patrolled By Radar] is a great band with
terrific songs. Bang and twang!
Gary Calamar (Music Supervisor) GO Music Services
Michael Doherty's Music Log Blog
I loved these guys when they were 50 Cent Haircut. The change in
names hasn't diminished their appeal at all. Their new album, Be
Happy, is full of cool tunes with excellent lyrics. And what a
voice. Lead singer Jay Souza at times reminds me of folks like
Steve Owen and David Lowery.
The name was apparently changed because people confused the band
with the rapper 50 Cent. Uh, who were these people? The rapper
never wrote a song half as good as anything this band has
performed under either name.
On this release, the band displays its good sense of humor. I
have a weakness for stuff that sounds negative, but really isn't
because it's sung with a smirk. There are moments that caused me
to actually burst out laughing, like the sarcastic-sounding "la
la la" moment in "Haywire."
This album has no nonsense. Nothing is overproduced. There are no
hidden tracks. Everything is just exactly right. All the songs
were written by Jay Souza.
"Widow Next Door"
Be Happy opens with "Widow Next Door," a song that sounds like
country with an edge. It has a sexy vibe to it. (Think Joe Henry,
or even Bob Dylan.) I absolutely love the backing vocals by
Annette Summersett.
"New Fight Song"
"New Fight Song" starts off as more of a rock tune, like
something by Cracker. The line "So let's all fall in love" is
sung with a wonderful cynicism. This song boasts great lyrics
including the lines, "my skull was cracked/like a cathedral
dome." Then a minute and a half, it breaks down to more of a
country tune, with a bit of whistling to boot. And then there is
some great stuff on electric guitar when it kicks back in - it
comes in with energy and anger.
"Dressed For The Drought"
"Dressed For The Drought" is a great folk song for the poor and
depressed. Here is a taste of the lyrics: "we're not
impressed/when the truth comes out/we don't care anymore/we don't
know where to begin/we're perfectly dressed for the drought." I
love the harmonica that comes in near the end. It has that sad,
try tone, like a lone man in the desert at dusk, perfectly suited
for this song.
"Pachyderm"
"Pachyderm" is country rock with a definite pop influence. It
features a short drum solo by Mark Bennington, leading into an
excellent lead part by August Poehls on tenor sax. Like all of
this album's tracks, there are some excellent lyrics, such as
"you are waving at catastrophe/well the same goes for me/we are
eager to be/gun shy/one day you'll die."
"Coat Of Disappointment"
Though the subject of "Coat Of Disappointment" is actually
serious and sad, this song has some funny lyrics, like "i love
the drugs/i'm ingesting/how i wish she were here/to disagree."
This song has a classic country rhythm, and it reminds me a bit
of Steve Owen. The piano section comes as a pleasant surprise.
(That's Peter Curry on piano.)
"Coat Of Disappointment" turns out to be kind of a sweet song,
with lines like, "i sat and cried last night/before the
stone/that bears her name/i planted a flower/in the rain/now i'm
waiting/for the sun."
"Fast Life Slow Death"
"Fast Life Slow Death" is a seriously cool song. It starts like a
slowly bleeding wound. I love the way the music and lyrics are so
closely entwined on so many of these songs. What's also great
about these songs is that though there is a sense of humor behind
them, they will still end up affecting you emotionally. Jay
really grabs you when he sings, for example, "here's to my fast
life/and my slow death" just before the song picks up a bit. And
when he sings, "i'd like to change some things i guess." This is
a wonderful song.
"Be Happy"
"Be Happy," the album's title track, is country folk that kicks
in with a bit of country stomp feel. Music that makes you want to
drink a cheap beer and then smash the bottle. Should I point out
here that Patrolled By Radar shares initials with Pabst Blue
Ribbon? (Though does PBR come in bottles, or just cans?)
There is a short (though repeated) section of "Be Happy" with a
steady beat that reminds me of "Windy" by The Association.
Seriously. Listen to the two songs back to back. You'll hear it.
By the way, I love these lyrics: "i said i love you/for lack of a
better word/she said that's the worst lie i've ever heard/then
she started to slap me."
"Walking"
The album concludes with "Walking," a groovy bluesy rock number
about Hitler and Johnny Cash. I don't think there's anything else
I need to say.
CD Track List
Widow Next Door
New Fight Song
Dressed For The Drought
Pachyderm
Coat Of Disappointment
Fast Life Slow Death
Haywire
Carried Away
Be Happy
Walking
Musicians
Patrolled By Radar is Jay Souza on lead vocals, guitar and
harmonica; Bryan "BC" Coulter on guitar and backing vocals; Bryan
"Reno" Stone on bass and backing vocals, Mark Bennington on
drums, and Bosco Sheff on slide and steel guitar.
Joining them on this release are Peter Curry on drums, bass and
piano; Annette Summersett on backing vocals and organ; Krister
Axel on organ and accordion, August Poehls on tenor sax, and
Austin Hartley-Leonard on cello.
Be Happy is scheduled to be released on June 7, 2011 on Knitting
Factory Records. Patrolled By Radar is based in Los Angeles.
Michael Doherty
SoundSpike
There are guys out there who don't have a choice. Jay Souza is
one of them. He'd just as soon play for one or 1,000, as long as
he gets to play. That is why Souza's band Patrolled by Radar
sounds so damned righteous.
Lovingly produced by Peter Curry of Los Straitjackets, "Be
Happy" sounds like the best of early Elvis Costello with a
double shot Wilco and an ounce of twang. Souza has written the
ideal album for that late night road trip to Bakersfield. It
ain't perfect, it ain't pretty, but its mix of melancholy and
hope rings true in a way Nashville big hat pop country never
does.
Souza and his compadres Bosco Sheff, BC Coulter and Bryan Stone
have been at this awhile. They played well over 1,000 shows
under the moniker 50 Cent Haircut, all while refusing to bow
down to the taste du jour. That is a lot of spitting into the
wind, especially in a city as unforgiving and jaded as Los
Angeles.
Souza, who still pulls a regular shift as a bartender, has
concocted an intoxicating elixir of equal parts British
invasion, cow punk and Americana. As immediate and catchy as
some of these songs are, this is a record meant for adults.
Souza touches on themes of a sour economy in "Widow Next Door"
and "Dressed for the Drought." Both songs would have been just
as relevant 80 years ago. "New Fight Song" is the Replacements
single that Paul Westerberg never wrote. "Coat of
Disappointment" and "Fast Life Slow Death" deal with mortality
in a most intimate manner. "Carried Away" is haunted by a
meandering violin that snakes its way in and out as Souza
reflects the views of a soldier far from home. "Pachyderm" and
the title track are as Beatlesque as it gets without becoming
blatantly patronizing. "Haywire" and "Walkin" are both best
listened to while tapping out the beat on the steering wheel of
a '55 Bel Air.
Live, Patrolled by Radar is a hoot. Originals, standards and
deep cuts galore, they'll roll through Johnny Cash and Johnny
Rotten consecutively without pause or gentlemanly reflection.
Writing is in Souza's blood, as his direct lineage to the famed
Irish poet William Butler Yeats attests. His lyrics aren't
interested in the easy way out. This is songwriting respected as
craft, no doubt a pile of crumpled lyric sheets left in its wake.
Roy El Saghir
