Self-released, 15 May 2023
Cleveland's Forced Happiness are efficient slop pop punk provocateurs, with several releases under their belt this year already. Their newest, the 2-song Flue x Hospital, follows up March's Skate And Annoy EP and February's “Bomb The Hill” single. Flue x Hospital is available name-your-price at the Bandcamp link below.
Lead song “Flue” is about (you guessed it) being sick. It's a quick and raw snot punk song. Guitars are in-your-face and the vocal sneer is palpable while drums bash away simply lower in the mix. At 55 seconds, it goes by in a blur, but that dumb “I've (I've), got the flu” refrain on the chorus is infuriatingly hooky. The follow-up, “Hospital”, is a little more developed and a little less raw. Opening with a bass that then gives way to a guitar that reminds me of a sped up take on Jawbreaker's “Boxcar”, the song goes with muted guitars on the verses that get capped with a bright guitar blast and backing vocals at the end of each line and then blast into the full-kick repetitive and bouncy guitars while fear-of-doctor “I don't wanna go to the hospital” words are slung around on repeat. It's a catchy as shit song. Both are pretty raw and lofi in their recording, but in a charming punk rock kinda way. Check it out.
- Favorite Song: “Hospital”
- Album Release Date: 15 May 2023
- Purchase/Pre-Order/Pre-Save: Bandcamp (name-your-price)
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ryan is a reviewer and news editor for TGEFM. He's very secretive, he might be an alien.