The style displayed on
Happy Hour doesn't differ much from Youth Brigade's early-'80s output, save for some more melodic injections and of course the benefit of '90s production. The songs are speedy and socially conscious as usual, with that Southern California hardcore feel. The socially aware lyrics differentiate Youth Brigade from many of the other California groups it helped spawn, the firearms-exposing "Guns Are For" being particularly thoughtful. Unfortunately though, outside of some explosive moments on "Alive By Machine" and "It's Not Enough," the music never really catches fire. The spirit of Youth Brigade is hard to fault, but the material contained on
Happy Hour lacks the memorable appeal of earlier gems, for example "Sink With California" or "Men in Blue." ~ Matthew Kantor