Album Review: Los Pepes - "The Happiness Programme"

Oxford power-poppers Los Pepes are one of those bands who seem to have been getting better with every release since their inception a decade or so ago and having now mastered the art of capturing the tightwire ferocity of their live shows on record as well, have been on a good run of late. And on the evidence of The Happiness Program, they're continuing to move forward with an impressive self-assuredness.

Weirdly, the band that this album reminds me of the most is early Dr Feelgood with the tightwire guitar lines and honking harmonica on the opening trio of Small Time, Never Get It Right and I Want You Back being exactly the sort of thing you could hear Lee Brilleaux growling along to. However, there's an impressive snotty punk angst underpinning the likes of the title track Let Them Talk (which could almost be the Replacements in one of their angrier moments) while Sick And Bored sounds like a lost Buzzcocks power-pop number with added Lora Logic style sax on it. Anecdotes shows a more mature acoustic-led side to the band's output similar to the Flamin' Groovies circa Shake Some Action as well as being the album's sole track to last longer than three minutes!

At just 28 minutes for the 12 tracks, you certainly couldn't accuse The Happiness Programme of overstaying its welcome and Los Pepes have turned out a good example here of getting in, saying what you've got to say and getting out again. A good lean fat-free kicker of an album which is definitely well worth a look for those who like their pop-punk with the emphasis on the punk part.

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NITE SONGS RATING: 🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌑🌑 (8/10)

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