Description

Black Happy – Friendly Dog Salad – Cassette

Friendly Dog Salad is an album by Black Happy, released in 1991. This band, originating from Idaho, is known for their unique blend of alternative rock, funk, and metal, creating a sound that is both energetic and distinctive.

Black Happy began as a Christian heavy metal band named Sacramen in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. After a novelty funk song with a horn section became more popular than their normal repertoire, the group reorganized as the funk/metal Black Happy with guitarists Greg Hjort and Paul Hemenway, lead singer Paul Hemenway and bass player Mark Hemenway joined by drummers Scott Jessick and Jim Bruce, trombonists Jay Carkhuff and Mike Hasseries, and saxophonist Daryl Elmore.

The new group recorded a 7-inch single and signed to the Pacific Inland label, which released debut album Friendly Dog Salad in 1991. Two years later, Black Happy signed with Macola, recording the Peghead full-length and the EP Shoveljerk. Despite sold-out shows throughout the Northwest and the attention of most major labels, the group splintered in late 1994, with Paul Hemenway, Mark Hemenway and Greg Hjort re-forming as Shoveljerk. In late 1995, Capricorn Records released The Last Polka, a collection of live tracks and outtakes.

The album Friendly Dog Salad exemplifies Black Happy’s diverse musical approach, featuring strong brass sections that add a funky, almost ska-like vibe to the heavy guitar-driven base typical of rock and metal. This fusion of styles makes for a lively and engaging listening experience, characterized by upbeat rhythms and compelling melodies.

Tracks on this album showcase the band’s ability to intertwine different musical genres seamlessly, with lyrics that are often introspective yet presented in a way that maintains a sense of fun and vivacity. The presence of horns in a predominantly rock and metal context is particularly noteworthy, giving the album a unique sound palette that sets Black Happy apart from their contemporaries.

Friendly Dog Salad received positive reception for its originality and energetic execution. It serves as a prime example of how the band was able to carve out a niche for themselves in the early ’90s music scene by combining elements that are not typically seen together, appealing to fans of diverse musical tastes.

Brand new, never played and still in the factory plastic

Acific Records

Track Listing
Garlic
Washcloth
One Fine Automobile
Basically Wrong
Such Much Suck
Black radio
Two Hands And A Hat
Moflo
The New One