The Happy Fits Explained

The Happy Fits
Origin:Pittstown, New Jersey, U.S.
Genre:Indie rock
Years Active:2016–present
Current Members:
  • Calvin Langman
  • Luke Davis
  • Nicole Rosenbach
  • Raina Mullen
Past Members:
  • Ross Monteith
Website:https://www.thehappyfits.com/

The Happy Fits is an indie rock band from Pittstown, New Jersey. The band was formed in 2016 by lead vocalist and cellist Calvin Langman and guitarist Ross Monteith, with the addition of Luke Davis as drummer following the release of their debut EP Awfully Apeelin'.[1] After finding unexpected success on Spotify, the band members dropped out of college to record their first full-length album, Concentrate. They have since completed multiple headlining tours and released a sophomore album, What Could Be Better, in 2020, and a third album, Under the Shade of Green, in 2022.

History

2016–2017: Band formation

The band members attended the same New Jersey high school, where Ross Monteith approached the classically-trained Calvin Langman to play music together. By the close of their senior year, they had written four songs. As a graduation present, Monteith's parents paid for them to record the songs that would make their first EP.[2] Two days before recording, they contacted Ross's older brother's friend, Luke Davis, to add a layer of percussion. Davis was attending William Paterson University, but he had graduated from their high school the year prior, described by his bandmates as the school's best drummer. Their band name was decided on the way to the studio.[3]

Their first EP, Awfully Apeelin, was released in August 2016. While Langman and Monteith were attending the University of Delaware,[4] "While You Fade Away" was listed on Spotify's Fresh Finds playlist, jumping from under 1,000 listens on the app to over 39,000.[5] It reached #5 on the Top 50 Viral USA Spotify chart three days later and #17 on the Spotify’s Top 50 Viral Global Charts. Following the success of their EP, Davis joined as an official member, and in 2017, all three members dropped out of college to pursue the band full-time.[6]

2018–present: Concentrate and Under the Shade of Green

In 2018, the band released their debut album, Concentrate.

In February 2020, the band finished recording their second album and set out on a tour that was quickly cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Subsequently, the band focused on their social media presence, with weekly livestreams on YouTube.[7] In August 2020, they released their second album, What Could Be Better. The album was named one of the ten best albums of the year by Fresh Air's Ken Tucker.[8]

On January 24th 2024, the band announced on their Instagram that founding member Ross Monteith would be leaving the band;[9] later that day, they announced Nicole Rosenbach and Raina Mullen as new full members of the band, having previously toured alongside Langman and Davis.[10]

Discography

Studio albums

!Title!Details
Concentrate
  • Released: June 15, 2018
  • Engineer and Producer: Ayad Al Adhamy & Joel Witenberg
  • Formats: CD, Vinyl, Digital Download, LP
What Could Be Better
  • Released: August, 28, 2020[11]
  • Engineer and Producer: Ayad Al Adhamy & Joel Witenberg
  • Label: Diamond City Records
  • Formats: CD, Vinyl, Digital Download, LP
Under the Shade of Green

EPs

!Title!Details
Awfully Apeelin
  • Released: August 26, 2016
  • Engineer and Producer: Matt Maroulakos
  • Formats: Digital Download, Vinyl

Singles

!Title!Year!Album/EP
"Right Through"2017
"Another Try"2021Under the Shade of Green
"Changes"2022Under the Shade of Green
"Dance Alone"2022Under the Shade of Green

Band Members

Current

Past

Timeline

Awards

Tours[14]

References

  1. Web site: Sterdan . Darryl . 2020-09-04 . Now Hear This: The Happy Fits What Could Be Better . 2022-07-15 . Tinnitist . en-CA.
  2. Web site: Artist to Watch: The Happy Fits . 2022-01-07 . www.34st.com.
  3. Web site: 2021-05-19 . Indie-Pop Trio THE HAPPY FITS Discuss Their Brand New Album, 'What Could Be Better', Their Upcoming US Tour and More! All Access Music . 2022-02-02 . en-US.
  4. Web site: June 24, 2022 . The Happy Fits – 1883 Magazine . 2023-02-14 . en-GB.
  5. Web site: 2016-09-26 . An Awfully Apeelin' Story: Introducing The Happy Fits . 2022-02-02 . Atwood Magazine . en-US.
  6. News: Tucker . Ken . September 14, 2020 . The Happy Fits Deliver Fresh And Snappy Pop On 'What Could Be Better' . NPR . February 14, 2023.
  7. Web site: October 5, 2021 . New Noise: The Happy Fits . 2023-02-14 . Wonderland . en-GB.
  8. News: Tucker . Ken . December 15, 2020 . A Year Like No Other: Ken Tucker Picks 10 Albums That Made An Art Of Escapism . NPR .
  9. Web site: thehappyfits on Instagram . Instagram . 26 January 2024.
  10. Web site: thehappyfits on Instagram . Instagram . 26 January 2024.
  11. https://music.apple.com/us/album/what-could-be-better/1537087826
  12. Web site: Instagram . 2024-01-24 . www.instagram.com.
  13. Web site: December 12, 2022 . Makin Waves with The Happy Fits: 2022 Makin Waves Band of the Year . 2023-02-14 . NewJerseyStage.com.
  14. Web site: Instagram . 2023-10-11 . www.instagram.com.
  15. Web site: 2018-03-18 . The Official Site of The Happy Fits . 2023-10-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180318173517/https://www.thehappyfits.com/ . March 18, 2018 .