The Happen-Ins

Southern indie rock enthusiasts breathed a collective sigh of relief on Tuesday when police found Phosphorescent’s once-stolen van and all of the band’s equipment – $40,000 worth of guitars, mics and picks – completely unharmed. But few could have been happier than 1970s-style boogie rockers The Happen-Ins. The Austin quartet shares a link with Phosphorescent through Ricky Ray Jackson, who’s usually slinging a Gretsch in the Lone Star State but plays pedal steel for Matt Houck’s Williamsburg troupe. To celebrate, the Happen-Ins released their cover of the Fats Domino favorite “Work My Way Up Steady,” a take that most definitely fires on the soul tip. Bangarang!

Read more: http://www.thefader.com/2010/07/15/listen-the-happen-ins-work-my-way-up-steady/#ixzz2x02lGEbr - Fader

Formed in early 2009, unkempt, slightly androgynous Austin rockers the Happen-Ins rapidly gained cachet in their hometown. Born out of the remnants of the Dedringers by Sean Faires and bassist John Mike Schopf (Hayes Carll), with Ricky Ray Jackson (Phosphorescent) and Houston drummer Paul Valdez (The Mastersons, John Egan), they began drawing comparisons to the ragged-but-right vibe of the Rolling Stones and Faces almost immediately.
The group's covers of Detroit and New Orleans nuggets often lay on that thick soul-glo R&B sheen the Stones always used so effectively. Last year's debut LP The Happen-Ins garnered wide praise for its straight-ahead Chuck Berry-ism. With Valdez on tour with John Evans in Canada and Schoepf in Europe with Roky Erickson, Chatter caught up with Faires in Austin as he munched chips and queso.

Chatter: It must be hard to keep momentum and focus with your rhythm section touring with other bands.

Sean Faires: We don't really try to play constantly or tour all the time. We've built up a decent following in Austin so far, but we try not to play so often that people get bored with it. So we work with other people some.

C: Austin gives the impression of being mostly an alt-country, singer-songwriter kind of town, but you guys are anything but alt-country. How does that choice of direction work or not work for you in Austin?

SF: Sure, there's a major alt-country scene, but to me that scene is kinda dorky these days, a little boring. It has these automatic expectations and habits that come with being in it. We pretty much avoid that scene as far as gigs go.

C: Where have you had your most success?

SF: We've built up a pretty good crowd at the Scoot Inn. We concentrate more on little East Austin places like that than the traditional Sixth Street and Red River-area club scene.

C: What's been the best thing that's happened for the Happen-Ins lately?

SF: We just did two weeks in the Northeast opening for Roky Erickson, and that was great exposure that fit into our overall strategy.

C: What's that?

SF: We've pretty much decided that, rather than just get in a van and drive all over, we like to go to a major city and camp for a few weeks, just hunker down and play as many gigs as we can and try to connect with a following.

We spent a couple of weeks in New York last summer, just crashing with friends and playing places like Lakeland Lounge. We seemed to be accepted pretty well. Now we just need to figure out when to get back there.

C: What's the next city you're going to camp in?

SF: We'll probably head west in the spring, go out to L.A. and hang for a couple of weeks. California is so big, and we don't want to get into a deal where we're driving all the time up and down the state. We'd rather just stay close to L.A. and try to develop something there - Houston Press

The Happen-Ins' name sounds like it's drawn from some mythical East Austin speakeasy, a lost cousin to hip haunts like the Scoot and Longbranch Inns. Half-drunk and chasing tail when they’re not deftly conjuring the lanky ghosts of soul-biting British Invaders with their onstage rock revivals, The Happen-Ins could easily be that fictional bar's resident band. An Austin supergroup whose members spent time in The Dedringers, Lomita, and Harlem Spiritual Orchestra, the band's pedigree is ironclad. Its members are gutbucket hipsters in sync with their influences—in this case, everything from The Kinks and The Rolling Stones to ZZ Top and The Flying Burrito Brothers. With their self-titled debut LP, The Happen-Ins show off the dividends of their paid dues, skipping an England’s Newest Hitmakers-esque fledgling effort and audaciously heading straight to Exile On Main Street (or Sixth Street?) territory.
With the deep, devil-may-care fuzz of “Never Said”—a track that could've appeared on any Jon Spencer Blues Explosion album—The Happen-Ins is already out the door and hitting the road by the first track, repeating the post-breakup caveat, “I never said that I loved you, girl!” The rest of the album feels like an El Camino joyride to freedom, with a night ride through Big Star’s Radio City on the room-reverbed “Do It” and a muddy pit stop for cheap beers on “Die." The Happen-Ins aren't too proud to beg, however, and they crawl back when they realize the error of their ways on “Bashful,” pushing reassurances as glassy-eyed and forlorn as the track's masterful pedal-steel flourishes. But that sentimentality doesn’t last long—one track later, they’re back on the highway, blowing past the speed limit and unafraid to up the tempo on the straightforward Rockpile rocker “Cross Your Heart." The Happen-Ins is a hell of a journey, and regardless of detours to various dicey destinations, it’s a woozy pleasure that invites you to let your hair down and pile in for the ride. - The Onion A.V club

Their extraordinary sense of pacing and impeccable taste in material make The Happen-Ins an uncommonly fresh-sounding bunch of rhythm-and-blues revivalists. In fact, the Austin quartet transcend the revivalist tag — they play actual rock 'n' roll, with mutated Chuck Berry licks fighting for room over the nuanced stomp of Falcon Valdez's drums. Their self-titled full-length debut features such danceable numbers as “Closer Now,” an Elmore James-style blues number with shouted lyrics and a crazed slide-guitar lick. What make The Happen-Ins special, though, are the musical details: The weird little four-note riff that recurs throughout "Closer Now" is a minor stroke of genius. “The Kids Don't Dance" rewrites Slim Harpo with panache, while their single-only cover of Fats Domino's obscure 1967 "Work My Way up Steady" stomps the original into submission. The Happen-Ins make Jon Spencer sound timid, and they're a lot less pretentious.
— Edd HurtTheir extraordinary sense of pacing and impeccable taste in material make The Happen-Ins an uncommonly fresh-sounding bunch of rhythm-and-blues revivalists. In fact, the Austin quartet transcend the revivalist tag — they play actual rock 'n' roll, with mutated Chuck Berry licks fighting for room over the nuanced stomp of Falcon Valdez's drums. Their self-titled full-length debut features such danceable numbers as “Closer Now,” an Elmore James-style blues number with shouted lyrics and a crazed slide-guitar lick. What make The Happen-Ins special, though, are the musical details: The weird little four-note riff that recurs throughout "Closer Now" is a minor stroke of genius. “The Kids Don't Dance" rewrites Slim Harpo with panache, while their single-only cover of Fats Domino's obscure 1967 "Work My Way up Steady" stomps the original into submission. The Happen-Ins make Jon Spencer sound timid, and they're a lot less pretentious.
— Edd Hurt - Nashville Scene

While only a little over a year and a half old, The Happen-ins have already alchemized a unique brand of rock and roll, thanks to their patchwork of members from groups like The Dedringers and Harlem Spiritual Orchestra. The best part? They’re set to open for The 13th Floor Elevators’ own Roky Erickson. Set for the Bell House in Brooklyn on Wednesday Nov. 10, this is one night you won’t want to miss. - The Aquarian Weekly

The Happen-Ins - "Be Your Fool"

The Happen-Ins formed earlier this year but after a few listens of their impressive self-titled debut, you'd be forgiven for assuming that they've been around for ages. The band marries the classic R&B and pop sounds of the '60s with Texas country to offer up an impressive collection of freewheeling rock 'n' roll ditties that is both timeless and fresh. Their live show bleeds raw energy and their performances are already garnering them rave reviews in Austin, and quite a fan base to go along with it. Not too difficult when the music contains ample doses of irresistible melodies and harmonies that get stuck in one's head all day. The members of the band have done their rounds in the Austin music scene -- Sean Faires and John Michael Schoepf, formerly of The Dedringers, Ricky Ray Jackson from Lomita, and Falcon Valdez from Harlem Spiritual Orchestra might already have stellar resumes but they're starting from scratch here. And considering they've only been together a short time, their obvious and evident chemistry is even more astounding. We're expecting to hear much, much more from this band, SXSW 2010 and beyond. At the moment, we're just glad they're happenin' in Austin.
- Limewire

The Happen-Ins
The Happen-Ins
Avenue West

The debut by former Dedringer Sean Faires’
the Happen-Ins sounds just like the photo on
the back cover: like a bunch of groovy 20-
somethings tripping out to a pile of old vinyl
from their parents’ record collection. The
Stones’ Exile on Main Streetseems to be the
main touchstone (“Just the Way It Always
Was,” “The Kids Don’t Dance”), but there’s
more than a hint of the Flying Burrito
Brothers, Kiss and even Big Star (or at least
the theme song to That ’70s Show)in the mix,
too. Somewhat ironically, the best tune here is
a pedal-steel-kissed beauty called “Don’t Look
Back,” but that’s not a knock on the
unabashedly retro vibe that pervades the set.
There may be no reinventing of wheels here,
but it’s all a lot of rollicking good fun. Fittingly,
the band is also releasing the album on vinyl;
throw in a scratch or two to give it just
enough crackle and pop, and The Happen-Ins
will fit right in alongside the needle-worn clas-
sics that inspired it.

RICHARD SKANSE
- Texas Music Magazine

With this year’s edition of SXSW all but ready to consume your very soul, spare a moment, or one evening rather, for talented local outfit The Happen-Ins. The band celebrates the release of its self-titled debut full-length tonight at the Scoot Inn. Chock-full of irrepressible rock ‘n’ roll jams that shine a light on decades past, the album showcases the tight-knit unit’s ability to effortlessly blend R&B grooves and Americana grit with great results. This impressive release contains a fair share of instantly memorable bar-room stompers as well as introspective country-folk ditties you can hang your hat on. “Just The Way It Always Was” and its clap-along chorus, the infectious riff and vocal interplay from “Be Yer Fool,” and the pedal steel soul of “Bashful” are just a handful of the many, many highlights.


There is no questioning in the inherent talent of The Happen-Ins -- the line-up consists of quite a few veterans of the Texas music scene, including members of the Dedringers, Lomita, and Harlem Spiritual Orchestra. The band has already garnered a loyal fan base with its intoxicating live performances and is poised to contend for various “emerging” act accolades this March. The debut record will surely boost The Happen-Ins’ rising star even further. Don’t miss out on the chance to catch ‘em while your palate still has the ability to process new music, before the gluttony of SXSW kicks in. Sean Faires from The Happen-Ins was kind enough to answer some questions for us earlier this week.

Tell us more about the band members -- where is everybody from?

We've all been in the area for several years, I grew up in New Braunfels where I formed the Dedringers in high school and began touring. John Michael is from the Houston area and also began playing in bands and touring in his teens which eventually landed him in our fair city where he briefly studied Music Business and marketing at ACC. Ricky Ray Jackson grew up in Dallas and went to school in Boston where he met some of the guys from his band Lomita. Falcon Valdez, also from the Houston area moved to New York City and attended the NYU arts program. All of us are now residents of Austin save for Falcon who still hangs his hat in Houston on the rare occasion that he is "home."

Image from The Happen-Ins’ MySpace, by Alexandra Valenti
When did The Happen-Ins form? What other bands were the members a part of in the past?


The Happen-Ins came together in early 2009. Ray Jackson had just split from his own band, Lomita and was playing pedal steel with Brothers and Sisters. John Mike had been touring for several years with a number of Billboard country acts like Ryan Bingham, Jack Ingram, and Miranda Lambert. Really, all of us had spent years playing together in one band or another. John Michael and I played in the Dedringers together where they encountered Falcon, a former Harlem Spiritual Orchestra member, who filled in on a last minute gig where the usual drummer had run into car trouble. Ricky Ray and John Mike also toured extensively together backing Americana artist Hayes Carll who they currently play the occasional gig with. Following the split of the Dedringers and while Carll had some downtime, we found ourselves sitting on a wealth of mutual admiration for each other and an opportunity to make music together.

What is right and wrong about the music scene in Austin right now?

Attitude. The average Austin venue treats the average Austin band with about as much respect as a common housefly. Simple availability for communication between the two parties is scarce. There are a ton of bands that play great shows with full rooms but never see a dime or even speak with a representative of the venue. I think a lot of it has to do with venues taking advantage of local bands who don't know any better. There are so many of these Tom Sawyer venues who convince bands to whitewash their fences and then sit back and take money off the band pay for "promotion" and what-not. It’s a totally fair practice if the venue actually spent any money to promote. A venue with an in house promoter who doesn't even put a simple tweet up regarding the new teenage indie band playing that night still takes out a chunk. How can those kids ever develop? Bands aren't learning how to survive here. It’s for this reason that we are so glad that there are venues starting to pop up that are willing to communicate and work with the band to make ANY show worthwhile everyone involved. Places like the Scoot Inn and Club 1808 are always eager to hear you out and work with you to make sure everyone gets something and that the shows are actually promoted.


How can a band differentiate itself from the plethora of talented acts in Austin in this new decade? What do the Happen-Ins bring to the market?


It’s always a long-shot that your new band will get noticed in a scene like Austin's. I think it's most important for bands not to worry about anything else but their songs and t - the Austinist.com

With this year’s edition of SXSW all but ready to consume your very soul, spare a moment, or one evening rather, for talented local outfit The Happen-Ins. The band celebrates the release of its self-titled debut full-length tonight at the Scoot Inn. Chock-full of irrepressible rock ‘n’ roll jams that shine a light on decades past, the album showcases the tight-knit unit’s ability to effortlessly blend R&B grooves and Americana grit with great results. This impressive release contains a fair share of instantly memorable bar-room stompers as well as introspective country-folk ditties you can hang your hat on. “Just The Way It Always Was” and its clap-along chorus, the infectious riff and vocal interplay from “Be Yer Fool,” and the pedal steel soul of “Bashful” are just a handful of the many, many highlights.


There is no questioning in the inherent talent of The Happen-Ins -- the line-up consists of quite a few veterans of the Texas music scene, including members of the Dedringers, Lomita, and Harlem Spiritual Orchestra. The band has already garnered a loyal fan base with its intoxicating live performances and is poised to contend for various “emerging” act accolades this March. The debut record will surely boost The Happen-Ins’ rising star even further. Don’t miss out on the chance to catch ‘em while your palate still has the ability to process new music, before the gluttony of SXSW kicks in. Sean Faires from The Happen-Ins was kind enough to answer some questions for us earlier this week.

Tell us more about the band members -- where is everybody from?

We've all been in the area for several years, I grew up in New Braunfels where I formed the Dedringers in high school and began touring. John Michael is from the Houston area and also began playing in bands and touring in his teens which eventually landed him in our fair city where he briefly studied Music Business and marketing at ACC. Ricky Ray Jackson grew up in Dallas and went to school in Boston where he met some of the guys from his band Lomita. Falcon Valdez, also from the Houston area moved to New York City and attended the NYU arts program. All of us are now residents of Austin save for Falcon who still hangs his hat in Houston on the rare occasion that he is "home."

Image from The Happen-Ins’ MySpace, by Alexandra Valenti
When did The Happen-Ins form? What other bands were the members a part of in the past?


The Happen-Ins came together in early 2009. Ray Jackson had just split from his own band, Lomita and was playing pedal steel with Brothers and Sisters. John Mike had been touring for several years with a number of Billboard country acts like Ryan Bingham, Jack Ingram, and Miranda Lambert. Really, all of us had spent years playing together in one band or another. John Michael and I played in the Dedringers together where they encountered Falcon, a former Harlem Spiritual Orchestra member, who filled in on a last minute gig where the usual drummer had run into car trouble. Ricky Ray and John Mike also toured extensively together backing Americana artist Hayes Carll who they currently play the occasional gig with. Following the split of the Dedringers and while Carll had some downtime, we found ourselves sitting on a wealth of mutual admiration for each other and an opportunity to make music together.

What is right and wrong about the music scene in Austin right now?

Attitude. The average Austin venue treats the average Austin band with about as much respect as a common housefly. Simple availability for communication between the two parties is scarce. There are a ton of bands that play great shows with full rooms but never see a dime or even speak with a representative of the venue. I think a lot of it has to do with venues taking advantage of local bands who don't know any better. There are so many of these Tom Sawyer venues who convince bands to whitewash their fences and then sit back and take money off the band pay for "promotion" and what-not. It’s a totally fair practice if the venue actually spent any money to promote. A venue with an in house promoter who doesn't even put a simple tweet up regarding the new teenage indie band playing that night still takes out a chunk. How can those kids ever develop? Bands aren't learning how to survive here. It’s for this reason that we are so glad that there are venues starting to pop up that are willing to communicate and work with the band to make ANY show worthwhile everyone involved. Places like the Scoot Inn and Club 1808 are always eager to hear you out and work with you to make sure everyone gets something and that the shows are actually promoted.


How can a band differentiate itself from the plethora of talented acts in Austin in this new decade? What do the Happen-Ins bring to the market?


It’s always a long-shot that your new band will get noticed in a scene like Austin's. I think it's most important for bands not to worry about anything else but their songs and t - the Austinist.com

Live review: the Happen-Ins at Phoenix Saloon
By Michael Corcoran | Sunday, April 4, 2010, 09:34 AM

NEW BRAUNFELS. Everybody in town is talking about the rebirth of the Phoenix Saloon, which was closed by Prohibition in 1918 and reopened in historic downtown N.B. a mere 91 years later in February. The problem was that the folks kept yapping while music was being played Saturday night. With it’s tin ceiling and brick walls, the 250-capacity Phoenix is a very “live” room and conversations carry, which marred the opening set from K. Phillips and the Concho Pearls, Seguin’s answer to “Astral Weeks.” I’d love to hear them again in a place that couldn’t be nicknamed Chatterbahn.

Headliner the Happen-ins- Sean Faires’ followup to Dedringers- fared better with a rockin’ sound that nicks from Keith Richards and Gram Parsons. This CD release show for the self-titled debut had a bunch of females dancing with themselves up front on “Never Said,” which is always the best review. With John Michael Schoepf (from Hayes Carrl’s band) on bass and Ricky Ray Jackson as co-frontman, this is very much a group and not a solo project, and they cast out a fun groove for almost an hour. It’s a bit of a ’60s one-hit-wonder sound, but with an aggressive attitude. Owner Ross Fortune calls the Phoenix a cross between Gruene Hall and the Continental Club, but the CC vibe won out on Easter Eve, as the Happen-Ins had the crunch to conquer. - Austin American Statesmen

The Happen-Ins' four-piece ass-shaking swagger harkens back to a time when rock and roll was a simpler beast, when bands were like boozy little gangs one step ahead of the law and one foot in the grave. The group has deservedly been getting its buzz on in Austin for its raggedy inter-gender R&B and Faces-style stompers; the stamp of the latter is in full effect on "Never Said" off this year's self-titled debut. Hell, most of the band's stuff sounds like the late Ronnie Lane or Rod the Mod had their seedy hands all over it. The cooing female backing vocals only give their songs that extra dollop of Stonesy grime and dash of old soul that makes the album one of the best to come out of Texas this year. - Houston Press

The Happen-Ins' four-piece ass-shaking swagger harkens back to a time when rock and roll was a simpler beast, when bands were like boozy little gangs one step ahead of the law and one foot in the grave. The group has deservedly been getting its buzz on in Austin for its raggedy inter-gender R&B and Faces-style stompers; the stamp of the latter is in full effect on "Never Said" off this year's self-titled debut. Hell, most of the band's stuff sounds like the late Ronnie Lane or Rod the Mod had their seedy hands all over it. The cooing female backing vocals only give their songs that extra dollop of Stonesy grime and dash of old soul that makes the album one of the best to come out of Texas this year. - Houston Press

Best New Local Act
THE HAPPEN-INS (Chase Hoffberger) - Austin Chronicle

Fresh out of the gate after forming earlier this year, the Happen-Ins have been grooving into the local scene with a rollicking retro vibe, swaggering country rock that follows in the harmonizing roots of the Band, Flying Burrito Brothers, and the Rolling Stones. In other words, the quartet dusts up some stellar originals that sound infectiously familiar but with their own contemporary pop twists. Their sound is no surprise given the make-up of the band, which includes former Deadringer Sean Faires, psych-folker John Michael Dayspring, The Belleville Outfit’s Jonathon Konya on percussion, and former Lomita frontman and recent pedal steel extraordinaire, Ricky Ray Jackson. The group is working out some recordings at this moment, and you can download one of their first demos below, but we can’t imagine a better lineup to see them play with than this Friday, May 1 at the Scoot Inn with Brothers and Sisters, the Black, J.C. & Company, and Karrie Hopper.

- By Austin Sound • Apr 27th, 2009 •

Fresh out of the gate after forming earlier this year, the Happen-Ins have been grooving into the local scene with a rollicking retro vibe, swaggering country rock that follows in the harmonizing roots of the Band, Flying Burrito Brothers, and the Rolling Stones. In other words, the quartet dusts up some stellar originals that sound infectiously familiar but with their own contemporary pop twists. Their sound is no surprise given the make-up of the band, which includes former Deadringer Sean Faires, psych-folker John Michael Dayspring, The Belleville Outfit’s Jonathon Konya on percussion, and former Lomita frontman and recent pedal steel extraordinaire, Ricky Ray Jackson. The group is working out some recordings at this moment, and you can download one of their first demos below, but we can’t imagine a better lineup to see them play with than this Friday, May 1 at the Scoot Inn with Brothers and Sisters, the Black, J.C. & Company, and Karrie Hopper.

- By Austin Sound • Apr 27th, 2009 •

"If I had to say two words to describe us," pauses Sean Faires, the fire-cracking singer/guitarist for the Happen-Ins, "it'd be rhythm and fuzz." The newly minted local quartet, pearl snaps and cowboy boots all around, demonstrates a cocksure swagger to fill out its collective bell-bottoms, a simmering cauldron of Texas roadhouse raunch and brown sugar boogie. It's a combination of chemistry and credentials: Faires and bassist John Michael Schoepf led the Dedringers, drummer Paul Valdez kept time for the Harlem Orchestra, and guitarist Ricky Ray Jackson fronted Lomita (see "Gilded Palace of Sin," April 27, 2007) and moonlights in Brothers and Sisters. The Happen-Ins complete a three-week run at the Hole in the Wall on Monday night with McKay Brothers and Mike & the Moonpies before Jackson leaves for a brief run with Phosphorescent and joins Schoepf in the studio backing Hayes Carll. Come January, the Happen-Ins should happen full-time in preparation for the release of their recently recorded debut LP. "We wanted to get something going on that has attitude, like the Replacements orBig Star's first record," says Jackson. "We just want to play some rock & roll and have a good time."

-Austin Powell
Austin Chronicle Off the Record - -Austin Powell Austin Chronicle Off the Record

Texas Platters Back in wax
BY AUSTIN POWELL


To borrow a line from Jack White's Raconteurs, the Happen-Ins are consolers of the lonely. The local quartet's self-titled debut, currently making the rounds on vinyl, shackles the roots flair of singer/guitarist Sean Faires' short-lived Dedringers (the pedal-steel-accented "You've Been Bad" and "Don't Look Back") with the unabashed, Rolling Stones swagger of guitarist Ricky Ray Jackson's Lomita ("Do It," "Cross Your Heart"). The resulting maximum fuzz R&B unbuttons easier than pearl snaps in the steel glow of "Don't Look Back," slow Deep City soul of "Never Said," and slide-guitar-spurred dustup "Die." Still rough and needing more Keith Richards to balance out this Beggars Banquet, the Happen-Ins are off to a promising start.
- Austin Chronicle

THE HAPPEN-INS/ THE HAPPEN-INS
by Marc Perlman

Here’s something weird: The Happen-Ins aren’t doing anything remotely new or innovative on their self titled debut album, yet somehow they seem like a fun fresh breath of air. Maybe it’s because the album features instructions for “things to consider before, during, and after listening to this record” – and those things, in the end, will apparently and assuredly result in “palpitations, perspirations, and motivations to stomp the floor”. Maybe it’s because The Happen-Ins just sound like they’re having fun playing old school rock and roll. Or maybe it’s because, along with having a sense of humor, swagger, and melody, The Happen-Ins play the music your parents (or, shit, grandparents in some of your cases) might have loved, but they don’t sound worn out like the grooves on a dusty old Creedence record. Their debut affair practically bursts from the speakers, with exuberance that is all too often missing from their peers’ recordings.
The Happen-Ins self proclaimed list of influences includes The Flying Burrito Brothers, Crazy Horse, The Rolling Stones, The Band, and more. And apparently the band is beyond self-aware. Across their debut 12 songs, The Happen-Ins repeatedly meet their influences half way, all of the time - and all the way, half the time. By not over thinking the boogieing grooves of those bands, The Happen-Ins lock into a classic bluesy stomp on tracks like “Never Said”, “Just The Way It Always Was”, and “Cross Your Heart”. The rhythm section’s ability to keep it simple with Falcon Valdez’s straight ahead timeless beats and rollicking bass lines (by both Ricky Ray Jackson and John Michael Dayspring) allows guitarists/vocalists Sean Faires and the aforementioned John Michael to really shine.
All four guys provide vocals, often harmonizing together over the slower tunes; On “You’ve Been Bad”, one of the countrified songs that crosses the Burrito Bros and Beggar’s Banquet-era Stones, the band strikes gold with gorgeously lonesome vocals and Jackon’s perfect pedal steel fills. These moments of tired gold, again echoed on the Gram Parsons-perfect “Don’t Look Back”, reverberate to a time when rock and roll bands played standards and originals, side by side, to rooms with creaky floors. Without the overproduction listeners have become so used to – choral arrangements, bassoon solos, gratuitous Moog and mellotron usage – we’re forced to confront the fact that a good solid band can reward audiences with a tight blend of swaggering rock and dusty country licks.
As expected, an album of original songs sounding like calls from an era long gone and often found only in the vinyl bins at garage sales is an album that’ll elate few while offending even fewer. Completely solid, thoroughly entertaining, and beyond enjoyable, The Happen-Ins debut is missing the slight hook to push it from the background to the foreground. The band has crafted an album that is perfectly suited for late night whiskey and beer binges, early morning bloody marys, back yard barbecuing or cross country drives at sunsets. Like their heroes before them, The Happen-Ins let their guitars and songs speak for themselves; it’s hard to imagine the band glamorizing the rock and roll lifestyle as more than a fun, sweaty, and loud time. Here’s to hoping that instead of just letting the guitars and songs speak in the future, The Happen-Ins let them roar.

- Austinsound.com

The Happen-Ins
The Scoot Inn, Friday, Mar 12


Onstage at Emo's two weeks ago, supporting the White White Lights' CD release, the Happen-Ins took the loose Stones swagger they'd inhabited at Hole in the Wall last year and cranked it to full-throttle Humble Pie. The local quartet's eponymous debut works in equal amounts of 1960s rock and soul, but live, guitar ignition Ricky Ray Jackson and drummer Falcon Valdez hammer home the Fillmore. – Raoul Hernandez - Austin Chronicle