Dreamy

r its fourth album, DREAMY, Beat Happening had clearly moved along from the seemingly willful amateurism of its earlier efforts. That said, no one's going to mistake Beat Happening for an alternative band with stadium rock crossover potential. Also, though much of the time it lyrically retains a sort of wide-eyed childlike perspective, there are also songs here that display a knowing, but gentle sarcasm.
Standouts include the hysterically funny "Hot Chocolate Boy", with punchy drums and sawing bursts of fuzzed guitar, and the low-fi trance epic "Collide", featuring Heather singing "Collide" a number of times (and a few other lines) while feedback twitters in the background beneath steady drums and otherwise jangling guitars. "Red Head Walking", features a guitar solo amid Calvin's droning tongue-in-cheek vocal explaining the many and varied dangers of women with red hair. Unquestionably though, "Fortune Cookie Prize" is the best track on DREAMY. Easily one of the band's best tracks, it is an unblinkingly sweet love song with no ulterior motives other than expressing a feeling. If you like your alternative rock with a lot more alternative that rock, DREAMY is well worth the time.|