Happy Family explodes with American rock & roll and prog in the way only Japanese bands seem to be able to do -- the record's tracks are quite simply rocking, taking frantic post-punk guitar noise, new wavey synth lines, syncopated, jerky song constructions, and incredibly tight changes to extremes most bands could only dream of. The result may have the same insane energy as a
Melt Banana record, but its lack of abrasion makes it far more listenable -- the band has the amazing ability to veer toward extremes without ever forfeiting the straightforward appeal they're amplifying. This makes
Happy Family an incredible, incredible record -- it would not be an exaggeration to suggest that this might be one of the finest albums of the decade. Even more amazing is the fact that
Happy Family's later work progressed upon this in even more interesting ways.