Happy the Man - "The Muse Awakens" Review

Artist/ Band: Happy The Man
Title: The Muse Awakens
Label: InsideOut Music
Year of Release: 2004

(click on the link above, for ALL band information on this and the band's other cds)

The Review:

Happy the Man has returned after a long absence with The Muse Awakens. Long-time members Stan Whitaker (guitars & vocals), Frank Wyatt (sax, keyboards, & woodwinds) and Rick Kennell (bass). Joining Stan, Frank & Rick are former Rainbow keyboard player David Rosenthal and drummer Joe Bergamini of 4Front. Upon listening to The Muse Awakens, I am pleasantly surprised to see that they have retained their classic sound. Seems most bands that are away for a long time comeback with a highly glossed release that takes away from the spirit of the original band. Not here thank goodness!

I’m rather a new fan of Happy The Man, where they are slightly on the melodic jazzy side at times, I find them refreshing to listen to. To my ears they never sounded like any other band from their era and with The Muse Awakens, they standout as one of the better releases that the year 2004 has to offer.

The Muse Awakens gets a high recommendation for both fans of Happy The Man as well as fan's of fusion based classic progressive music. This is destined to be a classic HTM recording. Kudos to the band!

Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on October 31st, 2004

Tracks:

1. Contemporary Insanity

2. The Muse Awakens

3. Stepping Through Time

4. Maui Sunset

5. Lunch At The Psychedelicatessen

6. Slipstream

7. Barking Spiders

8. Adrift

9. Shadowlites

10. Kindred Spirits

11. Il Quinto Mare