I'm Dancing with My Records On

The angry female break up song as perpetrated by Alanis Morissette a decade and a half ago has become such a cliché even lightweights like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood have multiple songs in that vein. So it is refreshing to hear the first single On Vacation from Aimee Allen who actually sounds happy to get rid of that pesky boyfriend to the point that she “has no worries anymore” and even throws in a few whistling solos to keep the upbeat vibe.

What makes Allen’s debut album (not counting the one that got shelved) A Little Happiness listenable is the diversity. Aside from the upbeat break up song of On Vacation is another happy to rid of a boy Change in Weather, a slow bouncing sing along that will warrant hand claps during live performances. Then there is the spooky Calling the Maker, a march along, menacing choir including song that wouldn’t sound out of place in a Coen Brothers movie. She picks up an ukulele to turn Sublime’s Santeria, a song about heinas and toting around.45’s into a lovely song which you can forget is about a western shootout and hookers.

Elsewhere on the album is the lullaby like La La Land which launches a trio of sweet songs that follows with the title track and Lean into Me. Those songs are followed by the most surprising song on the album God Talks which may be the best secular song with heavy religious overtones since Jesus Walks. The song even comes complete with an organ beginning and a hand clapping choir to bring the song to a satisfying conclusion.

Song to Download – Calling the Maker

(Scooter's Note: As I write this, you can still get On Vacation for free at Amazon MP3)

A Little Happiness gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.