It's the kind of thing that sounds like a Jad Fair song, isn't it? Samuel Locke Ward, a prolific musician in his own right, reached out to the legendary Jad Fair (Half Japanese) during the pandemic. With dreams of starting a band as a sort of pen-pal, Locke made his pitch to Fair. The two teamed up and are now releasing a record together. Happy Hearts is out today via Kill Rock Stars.
Opening with the dreamy "I Have a Feeling", Happy Hearts kicks into high gear with the punk-y "Fate is on Our Side", one of many upbeat numbers here. "It's a Hit" is similarly pitched, a rough hook anchoring this one like an old GBV tune, even as "That's Where You Are" and "Love is in Charge" use lilting melodies to offer up moments of real, human loveliness. The sleek keyboards under the vocals on "Dream Come True" let the material leap from DIY punk to New Wave, with Jad Fair's vocals modulating to fit the style changes.
While the music is varied, maybe more so than on some recent Half Japanese records, the message and delivery of Jad Fair remain as warm and inviting as ever. In that sense, Happy Hearts extends the robust vision of Jad Fair, brings a new talent to our attention via the contributions of Samuel Locke Ward, and furthers the ethos this label has been famous for. This is what American indie is famous for, this sort of uplifting of the soul, even if the hooks are rough and the production lo-fi. The sound here is an adaptation of what we know Fair is capable of is, with a few new shades in the material.
How can anyone not love this kind of thing?
Happy Hearts is out today via Kill Rock Stars.
[Photo: Uncredited pic of Jad Fair from Bandcamp page]