Happy Town (album) explained

Happy Town
Type:	studio
Artist:	Jill Sobule
Cover:	Jill Sobule - Happy Town.jpg
Released:	March 18, 1997
Genre:	Experimental pop
Length:	46:23
Label:	Atlantic^[1]
Producer:	Robin Eaton, Brad Jones
Prev Title:	Jill Sobule
Prev Year:	1995
Next Title:	Pink Pearl
Next Year:	2000

Happy Town is the third album by the American singer-songwriter Jill Sobule, released in 1997.^{[2] [3]} The album contains the singles "Bitter" and "When My Ship Comes In" as well as "Half a Heart" and the satirical social commentary "Soldiers of Christ", where Sobule sings from the point of view of a Christian Conservative to illustrate the existence of homophobia in religion. The album sold 24,000 copies in the US within the first year of its release.^[4]

"Bitter" peaked at No. 74 on the Australian ARIA singles chart in June 1997. The album peaked at No. 83 on the Australian ARIA albums chart during the same month. Sobule was dropped by Atlantic after the release of Happy Town.^[5]

The album cover illustration, which initially featured a Prozac pill, was changed to show a pair of test tubes when Wal-Mart refused to carry the album in its stores. The company asserted that the original image promoted drug abuse.^[6]

Critical reception

The Spokesman-Review called the album "a bold step forward for a creatively expansive artist."^[1] Trouser Press called it "a record to respect rather than appreciate," writing that "many of the songs are fine, and she’s one of contemporary pop’s better observational songwriters, but the tone is unremittingly hostile."^[7] The Deseret News deemed it "fun, liberal, spunky and sarcastic." The Baltimore Sun wrote that "the title tune's shift from cheesy, low-key organ to bright, power-pop guitar make it easy to understand the difference between the dull old world and life in that new, prozac-ed 'Happy Town'."^[8]

Track listing

1. "Bitter" (Richard Barone, Sobule) – 3:30
2. "Happy Town" (Goldenberg, Sobule) – 3:46
3. "Barren Egg" (Eaton, Sobule) – 3:37
4. "Half a Heart" (DeMain, Sobule) – 3:47
5. "When My Ship Comes In" (Eaton, Marvin Gaye, Ivy Jo Hunter, Sobule, William Stevenson) – 3:50
6. "Clever" (Eaton, Sobule) – 3:18
7. "I'm So Happy" (Eaton, Sobule) – 2:43
8. "Little Guy" (Sobule) – 3:24
9. "Underachiever" (Sobule) – 3:42
10. "Love Is Never Equal" (Eaton, Sobule) – 3:15
11. "Soldiers of Christ" (Eaton, Sobule) – 3:20
12. "Attic" (Sobule) – 2:10
13. "Sold My Soul" (Eaton, Sobule) – 3:35
14. "Super 8" (Galdston, Sobule) – 2:26

Personnel

Musicians

• Jill Sobule – vocals, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, guitar, percussion, drums, keyboards, ebo, vibraphone
• Sam Bacco – percussion
• George Bradfute – electric guitar
• Louis Brown – tuba, cornet
• Chris Carmichael – strings
• Steve Earle – electric guitar, vocals
• Robin Eaton – guitar
• Phil Galdston – keyboards
• Mark Goldenberg – guitar, keyboards, vocals
• Mickey Grimm – percussion, drums
• Jim Hoke – clarinet, flute, harmonica, autoharp, bass clarinet, soprano saxophone
• Byron House – upright bass
• Brad Jones – organ, bass guitar, piano, harmonium, keyboards, Moog synthesizer, vibraphone
• Viktor Krauss – upright bass
• Roger Moutenot – Moog synthesizer
• Al Perkins – pedal steel
• Ross Rice – bass guitar, piano, drums, harmonium, Wurlitzer

Production

• Producers: Robin Eaton, Mark Goldenberg, Brad Jones
• Engineers: Brad Jones, Dominick Maita, Elijah Shaw
• Mixing: Roger Moutenot
• Mixing assistants: Rich Cohan, Sandy Jenkins, Chris Stone
• Programming: Mark Goldenberg
• Photography: Annette Aurell
• Arranger: Phil Galdston
• Production Coordination: Barbara Moutenot
• Cover design: Brad Talbott
• Illustrations: Brad Talbott
• Background vocals: Bob, Jim, Mary Ellen and Matthew Sobule

Charts

Chart (1997)! scope="col"

Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)^[9]	83

Notes and References

1. Web site: Jill Sobule Takes Bold Step With 'Happy Town' | The Spokesman-Review. www.spokesman.com.
2. Web site: Jill Sobule | Biography & History. AllMusic.
3. Book: Buckley, Peter. The Rough Guide to Rock. January 17, 2003. Rough Guides. 9781843531050. Google Books.
4. News: Always Up and Coming, a Singer Arrives (Published 2004). Joel. Topcik. The New York Times . September 25, 2004. NYTimes.com.
5. Web site: Jill Sobule Returns With Playful, Eclectic Pink Pearl. https://web.archive.org/web/20210122030706/http://www.mtv.com/news/821303/jill-sobule-returns-with-playful-eclectic-pink-pearl/. dead. January 22, 2021. MTV News.
6. Web site: Jill . Sobule . Jill Sobule . I'm in the Newseum as an example of dumb censorship. And a song where I play drums! . Jill's Journal . August 25, 2010 . August 26, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100903120839/http://www.jillsobule.com/jillsjournal/article/i-m-in-the-newseum-as-an-example-of-dumb-censorship-and-a-song-where-i-play-drums-1 . September 3, 2010 .
7. Web site: Jill Sobule . Trouser Press . 17 January 2021.
8. Web site: The Chemical BrothersDig Your Own Hole (Astralwerks.... J. D.. Considine. baltimoresun.com. April 17, 1997 .
9. 259.