This EP is on blue vinyl. Good start. It's cut at 33rpm to make space for the four songs that comprise the artistic endeavours of One Happy Island. So far, so good. It is released on that cutest of record labels, Wee Pop. Liking it even more. And the music?
"Temporary Tattoo" casts a knowing wink to the joys and trivialities of young love and manages to avoid any suggestion of the harsh implications of reality. Anyway, you can't argue with lyrics like "I'll always smile when I think of your unicorn".
"Earth's Circumference" is clever and sweet at the same time. Masters of triviality, One Happy Island easily conjure up a happy vibe with some sweet vocal interplay. As a song, it verges on the theatrical (in a very polite sort of way), bringing back long lost memories of Gilbert and Sullivan.
"Shorthand" is almost absurdly twee like something a young Noel Coward would write after hearing his first Tom Waits record (now there's a thought!). Lyrically, this has secretarial obsession at its core and it even has a guitar solo! What next? One Happy Island start drinking Guinness?
"Mothball" is a clean living song that just forces you into singing along. So annoyingly catchy that you want to slap it. Just the sort of song to play over the end titles of any quirky teen movie where the boy doesn't get the girl.
Sound quality is much better than their previous releases and try as we might to dislike it, Bluesbunny was left smiling after these four songs. Come on, everybody "Do the mothball with me…"