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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

KCRW - The Open Road

Wowza for Jay Souza. PATROLLED BY RADAR is a great band with 
terrific songs. Bang and twang!

Gary Calamar

Grateful Web

PATROLLED BY RADAR, "BE HAPPY"

Steeped in a multitude of genres, all of which sound unique and unmatched, and layered with unwavering grace, Be Happy is a rare album that not only makes the listener feel good about what is transpiring in their ears but also tells an important and hopeful tale about life, love and happiness in these unrelentingly confusing times...like wandering through the Old West then suddenly transporting you back to the bustling, rocking streets of now, and it is here we make our stay and come to the realization that an album like this is rare and should be relished in all its glory.

Josh Baker

The Daily News Pittsburgh Metro

PATROLLED BY RADAR, “Be Happy” (Knitting Factory) 4.5 Stars

About a minute into “Be Happy,” the debut full-length from Patrolled By Radar, I was hooked. That’s because the man behind PBR, singer/songwriter Jay Souza, has the type of nasal drawl that I enjoy so much. With an eclectic sound that incorporates indie folk, country, rock and soul, this 10-track gem should appeal to most listeners. There’s not a clunker to be found on “Be Happy,” as Souza has crafted a near-perfect platter. Among the keepers here are “Widow Next Door,” the haunting “Dressed for the Drought,” “Coat of Disappointment,” “Haywire” and the title track. Patrolled By Radar will stay in heavy rotation on my iPod.

Jeffrey Sisk