Big Orange Crayonmusical thingsBusytoby It's Good To Be Alive Parasol Records I didn't really like this album the first time I heard it, but it really does have a tendency to grow on you. I think most of it depends on what mood you're in when you're listening to it: you'll love it if you're in a really good mood, but you'll want to throw it out the window if you're not. This comes from the theme of the record, which is pretty much "Joe and Amanda are very very very much in love." So you can see why it would be a bit grating if you're depressed. But otherwise it's a pretty nice collection of casiocore indie pop. I usually think It's best not to compare bands that could be considered "side projects" to the original band, but in this case I'll say that Busytoby sounds very similiar to Wolfie, but has a less energetic but sweeter approach to their music, plus they are more keyboard based than guitar based (although not free of guitars). Amanda handles most of the singing on the album, too, and I think her voice has gotten stonger since the last recording I heard, so that's nice. Lyrically, the album is all about happiness, which you probably figured out from the title. I think the "I drove yes I drove yes I drove drove drove" line in "The Fateful Day" is one of the cuter lines I've heard in a record this year, so there you go. It's all pretty cute and sweet and (unsuprisingly) positive. The key is to save listening to this record for when you are in an extraordinarily happy mood, so if you aren't in those very often you won't have much use for it. I think I have more than my share of times when It's Good to be Alive would fit, so I'm all set. Total score: 431 out of 447 |