Happy Doing What We're Doing

Happy Doing What We're Doing Artist: Elizabeth McQueen & The Firebrands
Label: Freedom (City Hall)
Category: Music


Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Format: Enhanced
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1


UPC: 600054103124
EAN: 0600054103124
ASIN: B0007CNXZA


Release Date: 2005-02-22

Happy Doing What We're Doing


Related Categories:

General General
Categories | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Alt-Country & Americana Alt-Country & Americana
Categories | Country | Styles | Music
Western Swing Western Swing
Categories | Country | Styles | Music
General General
Categories | Rock | Styles | Music
Roots Rock Roots Rock
Categories | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop Rock Pop Rock
Categories | Pop | Styles | Music

Tracks:

  1. Love's Melody
  2. When I Write The Book
  3. Annie Get Your Gun
  4. You Ain't Nothin' But Fine
  5. Dirty Little Secret
  6. Almost Blue
  7. Happy Doing What We're Doing
  8. All I Need Is Money
  9. A1 On The Jukebox
  10. Local Girls
  11. Home To You
  12. That's It, I Quit
  13. Seven Nights To Rock

Similar Items:

  1. The Fresh Up Club
  2. For a Decade of Sin: 11 Years of Bloodshot Records
  3. Lowe Profile: A Tribute to Nick Lowe
  4. Songs of No Consequence
  5. Citation

Amazon.com

<I>Happy Doing What We're Doing</I> is an apt title for this second album by Austin's Elizabeth McQueen and the Firebrands. Not only does it convey the enthusiasm EMQ and the boys have for the British pub rock they cover here, but the song after which the disc is named was written by Nick Lowe, who is represented in one way or another by nearly half of the disc's 13 tracks. The most successful of these are the true roots-rock numbers by Ducks Deluxe ("Love's Melody"), Dave Edmunds ("A-1 on the Jukebox") and Lowe in his many incarnations as a member of Brinsley Schwarz (the title track) and Rockpile ("When I Write the Book," "You Ain't Nothin' But Fine"), a solo artist ("7 Nights to Rock"), and a writer (Dr. Feelgood's "That's It, I Quit"). And McQueen acquits herself well as a songwriter in the Lowe mode with the only original on the album, "Dirty Little Secret."

Less successful, however, are the band's forays into new wave territory. Their versions of Squeeze's "Annie Get Your Gun" and Elvis Costello's "Almost Blue" fail to convey the same passion and lack the spontaneity of the more rocking numbers. "Almost Blue" in particular falls short; McQueen and the Firebrands are best when they stick to their specialty, what she refers to as "roots pop." Perhaps it was deemed too obvious, but they missed a golden opportunity here to record "Labelled with Love" and "Radio Sweetheart." Nevertheless, <I>Happy Doing What We're Doing</I> is, on the whole, a pub rock tribute worth hearing, and--more than that--a successful album in its own right. <I>--Benjamin Lukoff</I>

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Chita Rivera & Rita Moreno just dropped dead from sheer envy.......2005-05-18

Don't be fooled by that deceptive cover shot of a nerdadelic Liz prancing around like a Method-spanker from TEENAGE ENEMA NURSES IN BONDAGE. Liz is a seasoned pro who warmed up for this record by essaying the role of Sieglinde during last year's Wagnerwankerung at Bayreuth. (I vas dere, Chahlie.) My fave track is their rendition of Graham Parker's LOCAL GIRLS. Andrew Nafziger's wah-wah pedal was a butt-scrumptious touch.

4 out of 5 stars Better Than Sgt. Pepper!!!!.......2005-03-08

All hail Pub Rock!! This 2nd offering from Ms. Mcqueen gets it done for fans and beginners alike. The band reverently cranks it out as if it's 1974 and you're standing at the bar at Dingwall's while La Liz spreads her laconic vocals over everything like honey on a waffle, tasty and sweet! Graded from 5 to 4 stars for lack of originals (get a copy of her other disc The Fresh Up Club for those). Grab a flagon of ale, turn it up, and sing along (not too out of key, please!)............

5 out of 5 stars

Music Album:

  1. Cinema Surf ~ The Supertones
  2. Jackie Collins Presents: Lethal Seduction ~ Various Artists
  3. Garden of Bones ~ Urdog
  4. Backtracks ~ Hall & Oates
  5. The Hits Between ~ Cliff Richard
  6. A Children's Christmas
  7. Damn Good Day ~ Dirty Halo
  8. Roots ~ Blue Mountain
  9. Five & Dime ~ David Ackles
  10. Don't Make Things ~ The Pleased

Music Album

Music Album

Music CD

Vibes Master ~ Charlie Shoemake Trios & Quartets

A Tribute to Bix Beiderbecke ~ Lino Patruno

Dangerous Jazz Band ~ Don Goldie

Inta Somethin'

Isn't Jazz Lovely? ~ Various Artists

Sunlight ~ Herbie Hancock

Direkt ~ Bernhard Brink

Seleção De Ouro: 20 Sucessos ~ Paulo S%C3%A9rgio

Soazig: Celtic Harp & Songs ~ Various Artists

Mantra of Eternity ~ Kriyananda