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Good Sad Happy Bad

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Good Sad Happy Bad
Also known asMicachu and the Shapes (2008–2016)
Genres
Years active2008–present
Labels
  • Textile
  • Rough Trade
  • Accidental
Members

Good Sad Happy Bad (formerly known as Micachu and the Shapes) is a British band formed in 2008 by Mica Levi a/k/a Micachu (vocals, guitar, electronics), Raisa Khan (keyboards, vocals), and Marc Pell (drums). Initially fronted by Levi, they released their debut album Jewellery in 2008 via Rough Trade and Accidental Records. The group changed their name in 2016, and were joined by multi-instrumentalist and producer CJ Calderwood, with Khan assuming the role of lead vocalist.[5]

History

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Micachu and the Shapes

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Their debut album, Jewellery, produced with electronic musician Matthew Herbert, was recorded around Levi's composition studies at Guildhall School. Advance copies of the record reached the press in early 2009, and generated positive feedback. In the wake of this growing buzz, Micachu and the Shapes were signed to Rough Trade,[6] which released Jewellery on 9 March 2009. Drowned in Sound consequently hailed the record as "thrillingly improbable pop made by a grade-A maverick".[7]

In 2009, the band received a grant from the PRS for Music Foundation.[8] Micachu and the Shapes toured widely throughout the UK, including performances at Bestival and V Festival. The band played in the US at the CMJ Music Marathon in New York City and SXSW in Austin, Texas. They also performed on the main stage of the Siren Music Festival at Coney Island in Brooklyn, in July 2009. Touring continued throughout Europe and North America in the summer and fall of 2009.[9] In early 2010, Micachu and the Shapes supported Spoon on tour throughout North America.

The band performed with the London Sinfonietta at Kings Place, London, in May 2010, and in March 2011 released the live recording as the album Chopped and Screwed.[10] Unlike their previous effort, the recording largely avoided pop sensibilities in favor of a slower, hip-hop indebted style and repetitive, discordant string arrangements. The band were chosen by Animal Collective to perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival that they curated in May 2011 in Minehead, England.[11]

The follow-up to their debut, Never, was released on 23 July 2012. The band then released the album Good Sad Happy Bad on 11 September 2015.[12][13]

Good Sad Happy Bad

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In March 2016, the band announced on social media that they were changing their name to Good Sad Happy Bad.[14][15] The band then expanded to a four-piece, adding multi-instrumentalist and producer CJ Calderwood and Raisa Khan becoming the band's lead vocalist.[16]

In September 2020, the band announced their return with a new single, "Shades". The track served as the title track to Shades, the band's fourth studio album and first under the name Good Sad Happy Bad. It was released on October 16, 2020, via Textile Records.[17] Their fifth album, All Kinds of Days, was released on November 8, 2024. The album was created through instrumental improvisations which vocals were then added to. All four members of the band sing on the album.[18]

Discography

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Studio albums

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  • Jewellery (2009, Accidental, Rough Trade) (as Micachu, featuring the Shapes)
  • Never (2012, Rough Trade) (as Micachu and the Shapes)
  • Good Sad Happy Bad (2015, Rough Trade) (as Micachu and the Shapes)
  • Shades (2020, Textile) (as Good Sad Happy Bad)
  • All Kinds of Days (2024, Textile) (as Good Sad Happy Bad)

Live albums

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References

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  1. ^ "Micachu & the Shapes: Good Sad Happy Bad Review". Paste. 7 September 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  2. ^ "Micachu and the Shapes: Lo-Fi Pop Hoover Groovers Interviewed". The Quietus. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  3. ^ Corcoran, Nina (7 September 2020). "Micachu and the Shapes Change Name, Announce New Album: Stream". Consequence. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  4. ^ Battan, Carrie (30 April 2012). "Micachu and the Shapes Announce New Album". Pitchfork. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  5. ^ Ryce, Andrew. "Good Sad Happy Bad - Shades - Album Review". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  6. ^ "Rough Trade Records". Rough Trade Records. Archived from the original on 25 May 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  7. ^ Ubaghs, Charles (17 March 2009). "Album Review: Micachu - Jewellery / Releases / Releases // Drowned in Sound". Drownedinsound.com. Archived from the original on 26 March 2009. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  8. ^ Hogan, Marc. "What's the Matter with Sweden?" in Pitchfork.com 29 March 2010
  9. ^ "Micachu | Listen and Stream Free Music, Albums, New Releases, Photos, Videos". Myspace.com. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  10. ^ "Micachu and the Shapes and London Sinfonietta present: Chopped & Screwed Archived 18 April 2021 at the Wayback Machine", Rough Trade Records.
  11. ^ "ATP curated by Animal Collective - All Tomorrow's Parties". Atpfestival.com. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  12. ^ "Good Sad Happy Bad critics reviews". Mertacritic.com. 10 September 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  13. ^ "Pop and Jazz Listings and Albums for the Fall Season". New York Times, 7 SEPT. 2015
  14. ^ good sad happy bad (Video). 23 March 2016. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2017. we just wanted to tell you that rather than being a recording "good sad happy bad" is the new name of our band.
  15. ^ Micachu (23 March 2016). "Micachu shared a Page". Facebook. Retrieved 1 April 2017. Our band name is now GOOD SAD HAPPY BAD and we did this because we feel our last record was more than just a recording.
  16. ^ Ryce, Andrew. "Good Sad Happy Bad - Shades - Album Review". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  17. ^ Eede, Christian. "Micachu & the Shapes Change Name To Good Sad Happy Bad". The Quietus. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  18. ^ "All Kinds of Days". Bandcamp. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
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