WARPAINT

Happy's first four albums were cassette only productions and compilations of unreleased songs concieved on their own and not together as one album. Basically she was selling her music out of her car trunk, so to speak. Warpaint was her first CD and the first time she included other musicians instead of doing the whole thing in solo studio fashion. It's largely a duo effort with Kevin Bartlett as a partner and an occasional guest musician, which is not to say that Happy isn't the driving writing force.

Kevin had already started his own Aural Gratification label under which many of her albums would be released on CD including the four previous cassette only ones.

This is my first encounter with the music of Happy Rhodes. Alas, nineteen years after its initial release. It made a great first impression and I think it showcases her Kate Bush influence very well. Warpaint would have been a great find back then as Kate had only one more album left in her before her big break and Happy would have a few more albums and compilations to go. Sarah McLachlan and Tori Amos were moving into high gear (two artists who filled Kate's void for me). Anyway, it was like finding a long lost Kate Bush album.

"I've tried to show God only knows To grow But music hides me so well And reveals me"