Happiness and Surrounding Suburbs explained

Happiness and Surrounding Suburbs
Type:	studio
Artist:	Ball Park Music
Cover:	Happiness and Surrounding Suburbs cover.jpg
Released:	9 September 2011^[1]
Recorded:	January 2011–June 2011
Studio:	Massive Studios (Brisbane, Queensland) King Willy Sound (Launceston, Tasmania)
Length:	43:10
Label:	Stop Start EMI Australia
Producer:	Matt Redlich
Prev Title:	Conquer the Town, Easy As Cake
Prev Year:	2010
Next Title:	Museum
Next Year:	2012

Happiness and Surrounding Suburbs is the debut studio album by Australian indie pop band Ball Park Music, released in Australia and New Zealand on 9 September 2011 through Stop Start and EMI Music Australia. It debuted at number 36 on the ARIA albums chart, and peaked at number 26 following the release of their self-titled sixth studio album in 2020.^[2] Produced by Matt Redlich, the album includes "iFly" from their 2010 EP Conquer the Town, Easy As Cake, and was preceded by the singles "Sad Rude Future Dude", "Rich People Are Stupid", "It's Nice to Be Alive" and "All I Want Is You". At the 2011 J Awards, Happiness and Surrounding Suburbs was nominated for Australian Album of the Year.^[3]

Recording and production

Happiness and Surrounding Suburbs contains material that had been written by the band's frontman Sam Cromack from the mid-2000s through to the album's release in 2011. A number of demos were recorded for the record with the track list resulting in 11 tracks. A further song – "Big Big Mess" – from a previous session was released during this period as a b-side for the physical version of "It's Nice To Be Alive".

The album was recorded in Brisbane with producer/engineer Matt Redlich between January and June 2011 in his home studio called Massive Studios. The band later said, "It was recorded in his parents basement in East Brisbane. He had a beautiful tape machine that made us sound a hundred bucks. We used to save our money until we had enough to go back to the studio and do another song. This meant the album was recorded in dribs and drabs over the course of about a year."^[4]

Critical response

The AU Review voted it at #2 for 2011.

Jody Macgregor at Rave Magazine gave it four-and-a-half stars and Album of the Week.

Triple J Magazine awarded it 8/10.

Track listing

All music and lyrics written by Sam Cromack:

1. "Literally Baby" – 2:47
2. "It's Nice to Be Alive" – 3:29
3. "Sad Rude Future Dude" – 2:17
4. "All I Want Is You" – 3:29
5. "Rich People Are Stupid" – 2:15
6. "Alligator" – 4:36
7. "Birds Down Basements" – 3:48
8. "Shithaus" – 3:26
9. "iFly" – 2:33
10. "Glass Jar" – 2:46
11. "Happy Healthy Citizen of the Developed World Blues" – 5:37

Personnel

Ball Park Music

• Sam Cromack – writing, vocals, guitar
• Jennifer Boyce – vocals, bass guitar
• Daniel Hanson – drums
• Dean Hanson – guitar, vocals
• Paul Furness – piano, synthesiser
• Brock Smith - guitar

Technical

• Matt Redlich – production, engineering, mixing
• William Bowden – mastering

Artwork

• Polly Bass Boost – artwork

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Edition(s)	Label	Catalogue
Australia	9 September 2011		Standard	Stop Start / EMI	SSM13
	Oct 2020		re-release

Notes and References

1. Web site: Happiness and Surrounding Suburbs by Ball Park Music . . 11 February 2021.
2. Web site: ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart. Australian Recording Industry Association. 2 November 2020. 31 October 2020.
3. Web site: J Awards: 2011 . . 2011. 15 August 2020.
4. Web site: Facebook. Ball Park Music.