{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Happyness | type = studio | artist = The Aluminum Group | cover = Happyness album cover.webp | alt = | released = 15 October 2002<ref name=MC/> | recorded = | studio = Kingsize Soundlabs; Soma Electronic Music Studios | genre = Indie pop | length = | label = Wishing Tree Records | producer = Frank Navin, John Navin | prev_title = | prev_year = }}
'''''Happyness''''' is a 2002 studio album by The Aluminum Group, released by Wishing Tree Records. <ref name=AM/> Upon release, the album received generally positive reviews, with critics praising the lyricism and songwriting, and comparing the album's sound to indie pop, art pop and sophisti-pop.<ref name=RS/><ref name=PM/>
== Background and recording ==
''Happyness'' was the first in a trilogy of releases, succeeded by the 2003 album ''Morehappyness'' and 2008 album ''Little Happyness''.<ref name=P4K/> Band members and brothers John and Frank Navin stated that the songs in the series were written with a central theme of happiness in mind with the aim to "examine our lives and how we make our way" and "what is it when we ask ourselves, or others, 'are you happy?'".<ref>{{cite web|website=Windy City Times|title='More' than 'Happyness': Aluminum Group|last=Shapiro|first=Gregg|date=4 February 2004|url=https://windycitytimes.com/2004/02/04/more-than-happyness-aluminum-group/?utm_source=chatgpt.com|accessdate=18 April 2026}}</ref> The album featured several guest performers, including from Rebecca Gates of The Spinanes, John McEntire and Doug McCombs of Tortoise, and Rob Mazurek of Isotope 217.<ref name=PM/><ref name=UN/>
== Critical reception ==
{{ Album ratings
| rev1 = ''Allmusic'' | rev1score = 4/5<ref name=AM>{{cite web|website=Allmusic|title=Happyness|accessdate=18 April 2026|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/happyness-mw0000231439|last=Ankeny|first=Jason}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''Pitchfork'' | rev2Score = 8.0<ref name=P4K>{{cite web|website=Pitchfork|last=Richardson|first=Mark|title=Happyness|date=7 November 2002|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/141-happyness/|accessdate=18 April 2026}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''Rolling Stone'' | rev3Score = 3/5<ref name=RS>{{cite web|website=Rolling Stone|title=Happyness|last=Glowatsky|first=Pete|date=11 March 2003|accessdate=18 April 2026|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/cd/review.asp?aid=2045749|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20030710143024/https://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/cd/review.asp?aid=2045749|archivedate=10 July 2003}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''Uncut'' | rev4Score = 4/5<ref name=UN>{{cite web|website=Uncut|title=The Aluminum Group - Happyness|date=1 February 2003|accessdate=18 April 2026|url=https://www.uncut.co.uk/reviews/the-aluminum-group-happyness-28148/}}</ref>
}}
According to review aggregator Metacritic, ''Happyness'' received "generally favorable" reviews from critics.<ref name=MC>{{cite web|website=Metacritic|title=Happyness|accessdate=18 April 2026|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/happyness/the-aluminum-group}}</ref> ''Allmusic'' praised the music as "postmodernist pop that sounds simultaneously cutting edge, retro and utterly timeless".<ref name=AM/> Similarly, ''Pitchfork'' considered the album was an evolution upon previous releases, writing that the music "is just so precise and fitted together so perfectly", describing it as "smart pop music that hits all the right notes".<ref name=P4K/> Despite describing the band's music as "hard to get excited about" due to it being "innocuous" and "squeaky-clean", ''PopMatters'' nonetheless found the lyrics clever.<ref name=PM>{{cite web|website=PopMatters|title=The Aluminum Group: Happyness|date=30 January 2003|last=Hermann|first=Andy|url=https://www.popmatters.com/aluminumgroup-happyness-2495828408.html|accessdate=18 April 2026}}</ref> ''Rolling Stone'' considered the album "clever" and that it merged a "plainitive indie sound" that fused with influences such as Steely Dan, Elliott Smith and Air.<ref name=RS/> ''The Village Voice'' found the album thematically less ambitious than previous releases, but felt by "inhabiting form and genre so thoroughly", the band were able to create dissonance between the music and the lyrical content.<ref>{{cite web|website=Village Voice|title=Gloss This Mess Around|last=Wood|first=Mikael|date=26 February 2003|accessdate=18 April 2026|url=http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0309/wood.php|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20030314100150/http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0309/wood.php|archivedate=14 March 2003}}</ref>
== Track listing ==
{{Track listing | headline = ''Happyness'' track listing | title1 = Tiny Decision | length1 = 3:49 | title2 = I Blow You Kisses | length2 = 2:58 | title3 = Pop | length3 = 3:24 | title4 = Two Lights | length4 = 3:41 | title5 = We're Both Hiding | length5 = 6:02 | title6 = Kid | length6 = 2:56 | title7 = Speed Dial | length7 = 3:54 | title8 = Oxygen | length8 = 3:59 | title9 = Be Killed | length9 = 2:39 | title10 = Stroke | length10 = 4:15 }}
== Personnel ==
* Frank Navin – vocals, production, recording, arrangement, writing * John Navin – vocals, production, recording, writing * John McEntire – mixing, recording, performer * Roger Seibel – mastering
== References == {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Happyness}} Category:2002 albums