Two
years after releasing their first dazy, 90’s feel album, In Love, wistfully
indie rock band Peace have finally unveiled their much-awaited and equally optimistically-titled,
Happy People. NME called it an ‘archetypal second album’, with everything ‘bigger,
broader and more immediate’, and this is only backed up by their swelling
popularity and the increasing demand for a ticket to one of their gigs (their NME Award's Show at Heaven, London sold out in 9 minutes). After having Happy People on repeat since its
release on Monday, it’s not hard to see why Peace are in the running for big
things.
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| Heaven, London on Monday Photocredits - www.nme.com |
What’s
bigger and better about the album is the number of funky songs dotted with
quirky vocals that follow in the footsteps of Lovesick; it’s clear that
Harrison Koisser has spent more time writing memorable lyrics this time around.
‘Maybe I was not born brave… maybe I was born good looking’ leaks wit,
alongside ‘if you’re not macho, then try to be funny’; some of the lines have
the sharp memorability to create songs as classic as 505. Unfortunately, there’s
nothing as subtly promiscuous and crafty as Wraith, but the down-to-earth
obviousness in the writing makes Happy People unique and undoubtedly quotable.
It’s also clear that Happy People has been written
to play live. The band’s new releases were evidently appreciated by the crowd
at Heaven equally as much as the classics; even the self-conscious Perfect Skin
was belted by Koisser with a high-spirited liveliness that reversed the lacking
confidence of the song. EP Delicious anthem 1998 reminded us all of Peace’s
true musical talent, as they teased the crowd with a rendition of Led Zeppelin’s
‘Since I’ve Been Loving You’, amidst the build up to arguably the most infamous
drop of any of their songs. Slow ballads like California Daze calmed the crowd
enough to appreciate the creative and romantic lyrics: ‘she tastes like
sunlight, and she’s always gonna be there in the back of your mind.’
The climax: Sam Koisser’s groovy baseline in World
Pleasure prompted an electrifying end to a faultless set. Happy People has in
no way been a let-down, setting standards high for fellow Birmingham bands Swim
Deep and JAWS, who certainly will have the success of Peace as a goal.
My favourite Peace songs: 1998, Wraith, Lost on Me
For listeners of: Swim Deep, JAWS, Foals
For listeners of: Swim Deep, JAWS, Foals
