Happy Songs for Happy People
Happy Songs for Happy People is the fourth studio album by Scottish post-rock band Mogwai. Overview. "Happy Songs for Happy People" represents a further evolution of Mogwai's toned down, more electronic sound: all songs are based on electric guitars and live drums, but synthesizers are used frequently and often take the main stage on this album, with strings and piano also making the occasional appearance. The songs on the album are subdued, with the only exceptions being the towering "Ratts of the Capital," and the closer "Stop Coming to My House". Mogwai's  usual vocalist Stuart Braithwaite does not sing on this album at all. Barry Burns ("Hunted by a Freak", "Killing All the Flies") and John Cummings ("Boring Machines Disturbs Sleep") accept vocal duties, however nearly all the vocals are heavily processed and incomprehensible. Release. The CD release of "Happy Songs for Happy People" contains a demo version of Cubase and the individual tracks for each instrument in "Hunted by a Freak" allowing remixing and reconstructing of the song. The pre-release MP3s of the album circulating on the net had a sample of "Happy Tree Friends" cartoon main theme mixed in  at the end of the last track. Some of the fans were frustrated buying the released CD afterwards and not finding the sample there. A computer animated video was released for the song "Hunted by a Freak", depicting a person throwing pets to their death. In 2009 it was awarded a gold certification from the Independent Music Companies Association which indicated sales of at least 100,000 copies throughout Europe. The song "I Know You Are But What Am I?" is used as the closing of Episode 8, Season 1 of the TV show "Person of Interest" and also appears on  The Wicker Man motion picture soundtrack. The song "Kids Will Be Skeletons" was featured in the 2015 video game "Life Is Strange" as well as episodes of the Netflix show After Life.