Songs (Click the -icons for some small realaudio-samples)

1. Intro
2. Another Year
3. Almost Happy
4. My Head
5. Live For Real
6. Somewhere
7. Home
8. Tired
9. Always Everywhere
10. Shadowman
11. Favorite Adventure (wedding song)
12. Busy
13. All
(14. Already there)

Songs : Sarah & Gert Bettens

Musicians:
- Sarah Bettens : vocals, guitar
- Gert Bettens : guitar, vocals
- Koen Lieckens : drums
- Jan van Sichem jr. : guitar
- Eric Grossman : bass
Guest musicians:
- keyboards : Marshall Bird

Production: Bird & Bush
Recorded at Real World Studio's, Box, Wiltshire (UK)
Mixed: Tchad Blake

Artwork : Beeldzorg
Cover Picture : Lieve Blanquaert

My opinion

K's Choice have not tried to pursue a new "Not an addict" on their 4th album "Almost Happy". That was what they were attempting too obviously on "Cocoon Crash", which made that in my opinion a rather strained album. On "Almost Happy" K's Choice are calmer than ever, level-headed but also a bit sad & tired, and with that closer to their essence than ever before.
The merchants in the temple of their record label and the half-deaf zealots of the rockpress will not accept the fact thankfully, but K's Choice have always been more of a folk group than a spearhead of alternative rock, a label which got stuck on them after the excellent American "Not an addict" adventure. Not after "Almost Happy", no more.
Of the 13 songs (the track "intro" is a children's verse sung by a very minor Sarah, dug up from an old K7 of the neighbours, but there is a 13th track after "all"), there are only three which left me totally cold ("Tired", "My Head" en "Somewhere").
Much of the rest are pearls: "Another Year" is an opener that sets the tone for the entire album, and seems to float on a light feeling of weariness. "The light you were, will soon become a blur, as you're living through another year. Oh what a waste of time it is, to indulge inside of bliss, getting ready for another year like this" it goes, but if that is about their existence as a rock band, I can't tell. "Live For Real" is about a mellow sentiment (with you I might get there, with you I might start to feel, with you I will live for real), but it sounds absolutely honest and makes for goose pimples n°1. In "Home" Sarah comes crawling under the blanket like a purring kitty, telling about her childhood. In "Almost Everywhere" the theme is also a little bit corny, but this text about "mama" and growing up sure hits the target, chill factor n°2. The singles "Almost Happy" and "Busy" raise the tempo a little, and do that well but not inevitable. Closing track "All" floats on a wonderful melody, and is followed by "already there", on which Sarah & Gert end up with a still Irish folktune à la Sarah McLachlan.
A strange exception amidst all this is "Shadowman", a track that reminds too much of Marillion to be good. It is sung by Gert, and at first makes you think he too can sing, until you realise that most of the vocals are a fusion of the voices of brother & sister. The track survives despite the bombast and even makes a welcome diversion from the sometime monotous production that seems to shine by it's abscence.
K's Choice have made a CD that had the effect on me of a radiator next to a comfy chair while the wind is wailing in the chimney. It didn't make me happy, it made me warm.

And your opinion?
Did I get it all wrong, or was I spot-on ? Do you want to share your opinion about this cd ? Send it in, and I'll put it up here !

This Album in the Press

- Bert Leijssen voor Uptomusic: "Bij het vallen van de bladeren heeft de herfst ook in de gemoederen van de Bettens-tandem flink huis gehouden. ... Weg zijn de stevige uithalen die van bijvoorbeeld 'Believe' uit 'Cocoon Crash' zo'n krachtige song maakten. Jammer, want de schuurpapieren stem van Sarah Bettens leende zich uitstekend voor dit soort potige pop.".
- tMc voor Café Belge : "... Almost happy word je van deze nostalgisch getinte autobiografische liedjes, één voor één geweven rond een akoestische basis. Sarah Bettens benevelt je hoofd met schorzachte melodiën, ze glimlacht sexy maar met tranen, tijdens slotnummer 'All' ben je als gevoelensmens reeds zo overspoeld geweest door weemoed dat je als geparalyseerd achterblijft."
- Veronica : "... de mooie, sombere, door de mist verhulde pasteltinten op de cd-inlay vertellen exact het verhaal dat we op de plaat horen: ... Mooie nummers, maar ze gaan bijna geruisloos in elkaar over en lijken soms een pastelkleurig aftreksel van de originele knalkleuren die K's Choice ook zo goed uit het muzikale schilderpalet kon toveren."
- Peter Van Dijck in Focus (Knack) : "... De groep heeft gewoon een mooie, eerlijke, sfeervolle plaat gemaakt. ... De enige detailkritiek die we kunnen verzinnen is dat het producersduo Bird & Bush te weinig variatie en dynamiek in het verstilde album heeft gestoken ... Maar voor de rest: puike plaat."
- lve in Rif-Raf : "Het woord dat de nieuwsteplaat van K's Choice volgens mij het beste typeert is flets."
- la in Humo : "Naar de nieuwe "Almost Happy" hebben we de voorbije dagen geluisterd tot het bloed ons tappelings uit de oren liep, maar buiten een gevoel van opluchting dat de luistersessies over zijn valt er weinig positiefs te melden. ... Almost Happy? Not even remotely amused."
- Tom Peeters in (de oude) Teek : "Het resultaat klinkt minder Amerikaans dan Cocoon Crash. Minder tempoveranderingen, energie-uitbarstingen en naar een climax toestotende gitaren. Almost Happy gaat zo meer naar Indigo Girls dan naar Alanis Morisette, meer richting folk dan richting rock, meer richting introvert luisterlied dan richting wilde popsong."

Did you see a good (or bad) review of this album ? Tell me about it !

Where to buy this CD ?

You can order this CD from a number of locations (prices researched on November 18, 2000, but nothing guarantees they still are the same when you read this).

Shop	Price of the CD	Shipping + other expenses	Total	Direct Link
Frontstage	619	0	619 Bef.	Frontstage
Azur	839	0	839 Bef.
Proxis	812	0	812 Bef.	Proxis
Atrecordings	---	3$	---
Netbeat	16,49 euro	2,77 euro	776 Bef.

The lowest price is in yellow, the highest in red. This price comparison doesn't take things into account like deduction of shipping expenses when ordering more than 1 cd, bonus points, differences in guarantees ... Shipping prices are those for customers in Belgium.

Have you seen this record elsewhere on the net, do you own an online-CD-shop with Belgian products in it, or if there's something wrong with my calculations : let me know.

More about this group :

- Official and well-kept website = www.kschoice.com
- Bio + more of K's Choice in the Belgian pop & rock archives
 

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