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Rating: Losing a child just a few months old is one of the most painful things that can happen in life (and we have confirmation from the news today, ADDIO TOMMY). Losing them for inexplicable reasons is even worse. And divorcing immediately afterwards disintegrates you psychologically.
I think few people have had the strength to come out of this situation positively; among them is Craig Minowa, from Minneapolis, founder of an environmentally-focused nonprofit community and founder, guitarist, and singer of Cloud Cult. Two years after the sad events that affected him, Craig releases this beautiful "Advice from the Happy Hippopotamus". The album consists of 22 beautiful songs, exploring indie rock in all its aspects, always underpinned by a melancholic vein. But the album is also a concept about childhood and death, in whose lyrics philosophical concepts about life are reached. It's hard to describe all the gems of this album, so I'll mention the best according to this writer.
The start is extraordinary: "Intro" is one of the best instrumental introductions I have heard: throughout the track, there's a alternation of violins, computer music, and guitars that form a base on which the beautiful pop ballad "Living on the Outside of Your Skin" continues. "Happy Hippo" recalls the Chemical Brothers but features a Neil Young citation in the chorus; indeed, we hear Craig singing: "Hey, hey, my, my, you best learn to live while you're alive/ Is better to burn out than to fade away, my, my, hey, hey". "What comes at the end" is another pop ballad with a long intro of guitar and drums, while "Transistor Radio" is played only with an acoustic guitar and talks about Craig discovering what his grandfather wants to show him by speaking to him through a transistor radio. "Car Wash" is sung by a woman and recalls the sound of PJ Harvey.
Towards the end of the album, there are notable mentions of the electric ride "Can't Stop the Journey Now", the country-like "Lucky Today", and right at the end, the beautiful "Bobby's Spacesuit". Recommended for those who want to spend an hour with an album that doesn’t tire due to the variety of its songs.
Tracklist and Lyrics
07 Washed Your Car (01:59)
I washed your car last week
You gave me a kiss on the cheek
I asked if you would be my sweet
You said "baby not me"
I mowed your lawn yesterday
You gave me six bucks
and I said "Let's have some lemonade"
You said "go away"
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
I built your cupboards out of my bones
Shoveled your snow with an ice cream cone
I asked if you would be my own
You said "leave me alone"
I raked your leaves with my toes
Tilled your garden with my nose
Asked if you would be my beau
You said "no no no"
Built your cupboards out of my bones
Shoveled your snow with an ice cream cone
I asked if you would be my own
You said "leave me alone"
I raked your leaves with my toes
Tilled your garden with my nose
Asked if you would be my beau
You said "no no no"
You said "no no no"
You said "no no no"
You said "no no no"
You said "no no no"
You said "no no no"
10 Moving to Canada (03:06)
And as the ending came, the people watch complacently and swore their god had meant for it to be this way
And I'm feeling strange, while the pretty people pray
Going to Canada
And all the people sing, long live the king for he is a godly thing, an eagle with just one right wing
And I'm feeling strange, while the pretty people pray (Hut hut hut hut...)
Going to Canada
Going to Canada
And as the ending came, the people watched complacently and swore their god had meant for it to be this way
Moving to Canada
I'm moving to Canada
21 Lucky Today (02:10)
I got two hands on the sunshie; I got one foot in the grave
I got 25 cents in my wallet, and I'm feeling pretty lucky today
(Let's pull it back
Let's race
Pull it back
Get out of here)
My bones are made out of ivory, and my blood is made of ocean waves
And someone stole my wallet, but I'm feeling pretty lucky today
25 Bobby's Spacesuit (03:02)
Bobby’s got a spacesuit made out of squirrel skin
He’s pushing downwards out and sucking upwards in
And this is truth to him, and this is truth to him
Gina burns her Barbie ‘til it’s unrecognizable rubber
Screw your d size cups ‘cause I’m a way better lover
This is truth to her, this is truth to her
Turn my stupid question marks into simple candy canes
Turn my stupid question marks into simple candy canes
And this is truth to me, this is truth to me
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