Ha Ha Tonka "Death of a Decade"

(Bloodshot) I don't think it's their intention (especially not based upon the title and some lyrics) but Ha Ha Tonka's finest achievement is to make Southern Rock sound happy, like music made by possibly well-adjusted, occasionally sober, regular folk. When it swells to Epic-ness (like on "Jesusita") this album can  feel pretty grand and moving and jarring, but for the most part it just, despite itself, sounds kinda good and joyful  (even when singing about lonely fortune falling or trying to send out an ominous Spaghetti Western vibe [though it gets oddly sombre when singing about "The Humorist"]). "Death of a Decade" is unwittingly the life of the party!