Happy Hour (Shonen Knife album)

Happy Hour is a 1998 album by the Japanese rock trio Shonen Knife. The cover artwork is by Yoshitomo Nara.[4] It is the last album by the group with their original bass guitarist, Michie Nakatani.

Happy Hour
Studio album by
Shonen Knife
ReleasedJune 23, 1998
GenrePop punk
LabelBig Deal Records
Shonen Knife chronology
Brand New Knife
(1997)		 Happy Hour
(1998)		 Strawberry Sound
(2000)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Album of the Year50/100[1]
Allmusic link[2]
PopMatters[3]

"Banana Chips"

Release

Ahead of the album's release, "Banana Chips," was released as an official single.[5] The European edition of the CD single included three versions of the song: the English version, the Japanese version, and a remix called the "EYƎ Mix."[6] The Japanese edition of the CD single included the Japanese mix and the EYƎ Mix, as well as two other remixes.[7]

Music Video

A music video for the song was released. It is animated, and features the members of Shonen Knife as animated performers, performing for a crowd of bananas.[8]

Reception

"Banana Chips" received mixed reviews from music critics. Allmusic, in their review of "Happy Hour," stated that the song held "fast to" the group's "usual obsessions,"[2] while PopMatters called the track "frolicking."[3]

Critical reception

The album garnered mixed reviews upon its release. PopMatters' Sarah Zupko praised the album and said that "Happy Hour is rolicking frolick through bubblegum pop culture—all perfect pop melodies, shiny choruses, and songs about cookies, hot chocolate, sushi, and banana chips," concluding that "this record is one helluva guilty pleasure."[3] Allmusic's review, written by Jason Ankeny, was less positive, stating " the Shonen Knife aesthetic has become pure formula, and the joke just isn't that funny anymore."[2] The album holds a score of 50/100 on review aggregator Album of the Year.[1]

Track listing

All songs written by Naoko Yamano, except where noted.[2]

  1. "Shonen Knife Planet"
  2. "Konnichiwa"
  3. "Cookie Day"
  4. "Hot Chocolate"
  5. "Sushi Bar Song"
  6. "Fish Eyes" (Michie Nakatani)
  7. "Banana Chips"
  8. "Dolly"
  9. "Jackalope" (Nakatani)
  10. "Gyoza"
  11. "Catch Your Bus" (Nakatani)
  12. "People Traps"
  13. "His Pet"
  14. "Daydream Believer" (John Stewart)

Notes:

Personnel
  • Dean Brownrout - executive producer
  • Tetsuya Kotani - engineer
  • Ippei Suda - assistant engineer
  • John X. Volaitis - mixer, producer, engineer
  • Masashi Nakayama - hairstylist, makeup
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References
  1. "Shonen Knife - Happy Hour overview". Album of the Year. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  2. "Happy Hour review". Allmusic. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  3. "Album review - Happy Hour". PopMatters. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  4. "album overview". Music Brainz. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  5. "Shonen Knife discography". Discogs. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  6. ""Banana Chips" single information". Discogs. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  7. ""Banana Chips" Japanese single overview". Discogs. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  8. ""Banana Chips" music video". YouTube. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
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