Recommended Tracks: “Wild In Love,” “Lovesick #1 (Misery),” “Everything You Do”
Artists you may like: iDKHOW, Phoneboy, Panic! At The Disco
The Happy Fits are back and better than ever: if you’ve been missing badass electric cello harmonies with an enchanting indie-rock sound, Lovesick is here to save the day. Lovesick has something for anyone looking for the classic, upbeat Happy Fits sound, the ballad and slower song enthusiasts, and those who want an album that keeps them on their toes.
What sets The Happy Fits apart from the rest is their inclusion of the electric cello. I’ve been listening to this band since 2021 and have yet to find another band that captures the same level of awesomeness in their sound. I had the pleasure of watching frontman Calvin Langman crowd surf with his cello at Webster Hall in NYC in 2022 — a one-of-a-kind moment that I will never forget.
Not only do The Happy Fits have multiple vocalists, but they now have a beautiful, unique four-part harmony. Since the band’s last album, Under The Shade of Green, released in 2022, they’ve gone through some lineup changes, making this their first studio record to include their latest talent: guitarists and vocalists Nico Rose and Raina Mullen.
The vocal dynamic of the band did not suffer in the slightest. Shifting from a vocalist trio to a half-and-half split makes for beautiful harmonic sounds that could make you shed a tear. Rose and Mullen’s voices pair gorgeously with those of Langman and Luke Davis, original members of the band.
This is proven quickly on Lovesick, with the early track “Lovesick #1 (Misery)” not only being a standout song from the project as a whole, but a powerful spotlight on the incredible vocals of Raina Mullen. This song allows the female vocalist to shine, especially since fans have yet to hear Mullen’s or Rose’s isolated vocals prior to this release. I found myself thinking back to the shouts in this song throughout my entire experience with the album.
The stunning performance of “Lovesick #1 (Misery)” stuck with me through all remaining eleven tracks. It’s an angsty, yet indie, yell of the frustrations that come with unrequited love, with incredible emotion behind the delivery.
The Happy Fits are known for their blend of commanding vocals atop a rock instrumental paired with orchestral elements. They feature anxious themes and transform them into lighthearted tunes. If you’re in the mood for just that, this band has just the right tracks for you, beginning with the opener “Do You See Me?”
A perfect song to set the tone for the songs to follow, “Do You See Me?” blends orchestral sounds and dramatic lyrics reminiscent of early Panic! At The Disco, or even The Brobecks’ Violent Things (2009). “Do You See Me?” gracefully showcases vocalist/cellist Calvin Langman’s vocals and gives his signature cello the spotlight it deserves. This song (and quite honestly, half the album) feels like a continuation of the band’s What Could Be Better (2020) single “She Wants Me (To Be Loved),” exploring a complicated, unreciprocated relationship.
Most similar to the sound on their third studio album Under The Shade of Green (2023), this “classic” Happy Fits vibe continues throughout Lovesick in tracks “Everything You Do,” “The Nerve,” “Miss You,” “Shake Me,” “Blackhole,” “I Still Think I Love You,” and album closer, “I Remember.” These songs bring Langman’s beloved cello back to the forefront (my notes read: “Live, Laugh, Love, Cello”), with a wonderful mix of both ABBA and Panic! At The Disco’s Pretty. Odd. (2008) influence (and, dare I say, even a little bit of Vices & Virtues).
Lovesick includes a few songs that really took me by surprise… I remember listening to Alt Nation’s Advanced Placement show in the car during the summer, and could swear the host said he would play a song by The Happy Fits, but then “Wild In Love” began to play. I had to triple check… but this was correct!
“Wild In Love” opens with much deeper vocals from Langman, followed by an exciting, 80s-sounding beat that got me instantly hooked. Growing up in a household that thrives on 80s alternative and new wave, this track immediately stood out as a favorite song. Replicating the feeling of falling in love with somebody, “Wild In Love” radiates an infectious energy that makes you want to get up and dance, giving in to these uncontrollable emotions.
If you’re in the mood for the slower side of The Happy Fits’ latest project, we recommend “I Could Stare At You For Hours” and “Wrong About Me.” The first brings a compelling orchestral element to the album, paired with heavy-hearted lyrics that place the listener in the center of a coming-of-age romance film. “Wrong About Me” is resonant of some of their earlier work, like their indie-rock album Concentrate (2018) and its closing song “Little Words.”
In between their usual sound and adding a bit of the slower side are songs “Sarah’s Song,” “Superior,” and “Lovesick #1 (Misery).” These tracks feature an incredible mid-song vibe shift, exhibiting both the cheerful and the gloomy sides of Lovesick. Each of these songs has lyrics that make you want to cry out and scream, angry about the past and how things could have gone differently in a relationship.
“Superior” demonstrates this the most, with Langman wanting to hear back from his love and see each other as they once had. The song concludes with soft, somber vocals coming to terms with the ending of the relationship, before a distraught voicemail recording comes from the estranged lover.
The Happy Fits have taken their previous projects, like Under The Shade of Green (2022) and even their debut EP Awfully Apeelin’ (2016), and combined them with a refreshing, innovative sound that progressed into Lovesick. The album explores the highs and lows of unrequited love with both upbeat and melancholic tones.
The Happy Fits will embark on their international Lovesick Tour 2025 this fall, starting in Madrid, Spain, on September 24 and ending in Boston, MA, on December 13. Remaining tickets are available here.
The Happy Fits Tour 2025 dates:
9/24 – Madrid, Spain – Sala El Sótano
9/25 – Barcelona, Spain – Sala VOL
9/27 – Paris, France – La Boule Noire*
9/30 – Antwerp, Belgium – Kavka Oudaan*
10/1 – Cologne, Germany – LUXOR*
10/3 – Milan, Italy – Arci Bellezza*
10/4 – Zurich, Switzerland – Bogen F*
10/5 – Prague, Czech Republic – Café V lese*
10/7 – Berlin, Germany – FRANNZ Club*
10/8 – Hamburg, Germany – headCRASH*
10/9 – Tilburg, Netherlands – 013 Poppodium*
10/10 – Groningen, Netherlands – Simplon Poppodium*
10/11 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Melkweg*
10/12 – Arnhem, Netherlands – Luxo Live*
10/14 – Birmingham, UK – Mama Roux’s*
10/15 – Leeds, UK – The Wardrobe*
10/16 – Glasgow, UK – The Garage*
10/17 – Manchester, UK – Gorilla*
10/18 – London, UK – Islington Assembly Hall*
11/1 – Richmond, VA – The National^+
11/2 – Charlotte, NC – The Underground^+
11/4 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl Nashville^+
11/5 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade – Heaven^+
11/7 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Revolution Live^+
11/8 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues Orlando^+
11/10 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall – Downstairs^+
11/11 – Dallas, TX – The Echo Lounge & Music Hall^+
11/12 – Austin, TX – Emo’s Austin^+
11/14 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren^+
11/15 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern~”
11/16 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore~”
11/18 – Seattle, WA – The Showbox~”
11/19 – Portland, OR – Revolution Hall~”
11/21 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Grand at The Complex~”
11/22 – Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre~”
11/23 – Lawrence, KS – The Granada#”
11/25 – St. Louis, MO – Delmar Hall#”
11/28 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue#”
11/29 – Chicago, IL – Vic Theater#”
11/30 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues Cleveland#”
12/2 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall#”
12/3 – Washington, D.C. – 9:30 CLUB^”
12/5 – Pittsburgh, PA – Roxian Theatre#”
12/6 – Detroit, MI – Saint Andrew’s Hall#”
12/7 – Toronto, ON – The Opera House#”
12/9 – Portland, ME – State Theatre#”
12/11 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore Philadelphia^”
12/12 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Paramount^”
12/13 – Boston, MA – Citizens House of Blues Boston^”
* with Phoneboy
^ with Pom Pom Sound
~ with Krooked Kings
+ with Late Night Drive Home
+ with The Backfires
“ with Double Standard
Keep up with The Happy Fits: Website // Instagram // Facebook // X // Spotify // YouTube
