Review of Happy Houses by Kai Nobuko from Yeah I Know It Sucks

Mike Langlie is Twink! Together with his musical friends Burt Mueller (guitars and banjo) Matt Renzi (horns & flutes) and melodic bass by Guy Turner and Jair-Rohm he brought out the electronics and toy box to make a celebration named Happy Houses.

It starts with a cute tune called "Close to Home" which is the music that you should carry close to your heart as it will make it all smiley and joyful. When you do: things will change, happiness will enter and everything what you thought was normal, starts to transform and melt.

This is the music that you can feel in your legs, making them all wobbly like bouncing strings of elastic. The arms will grow and move like flexible caterpillars; along with the riddles played on the toy piano.

The corners of your lips will need no plastic surgery, as they will be pulled up to form a instant smile & announce a feeling almost forgotten; Happiness.

A happiness most deserved as Twink had successfully tickled the inner child deep within. It was giggling enough to climb back into your soul. It always had been there, but large piles of paperwork had tumbled it down to the lower departments...

But now as the music of Twink tickles, transforms and melts the barriers of adultness into tiny pieces of glitter; life is getting much better.

You can inhale fresh air again, suck on that popsicle you had always loved and feel alright with it. In the musical world of Twink there is no shame, only love, cuteness and happiness.

Small, fat, tall, short, thin, big, large, young & old; everyone is welcome at the Happy Houses of Twink. Just enter the never ending smiley face and jump in!

Before you realize; you will be doing the most legendary "Ostrich Hop" in no time. If you don't know how to do it, just place yourself on a flow of musical happiness and hold on tight; it will guide us through the happy-go-lucky Ostrich world.

Here we make friends with cute horns, have fun going down the slides, swing on the swings, and roll down the hills and simply embrace a fun time! Don't you stick your head in the ground! (Because the sand might block your ears!)

Or what about an instant portion of ultra-cuteness that comes as "Chickaboo"? The friendly melodies will be holding your hand, inviting you for a circle dance of love. Some of them make a sound of joy just to make you feel at home.

My favorite time spend over at Twink's Happy Houses is when it's time for "Gumdrop Glitter". The music that comes with it is making me dance and chew. I enjoy jumping from colorful gum bubbles to other bouncy objects. It is easier to write down than do, but even missing a jump doesn't hurt. One of the toys might even give you a plaster with a kiss or just a funny face. It's a time well spent.

The "Turtle Trap" is good fun, especially when you hear it while wearing your home made turtle costume and team up with some toy turtles for a little race through the park. The race might go slow but as it's a sunny day, we run one out of four legs at the time. Somewhere the ears of both you and the toy turtles will be greeted by a modern day music impression of the street Viking Moondog, when a wonderful flute greets the race contestants with the finest warmth coming from a lovely little melody.

The Happy Houses of fun are getting funnier as we go through the sound cupboard that is "Interloodie". It's like every step, every move will create a sound as if the drawers are completely full with a treasure full of toys. Are you ready to play?

A strong tune on this happiness explosion is the one named "Crocodilly", which combines cute and laughable talking electronic sweetness to form in fact a really well done composition of melody and structure.

But if you avoid thinking about it in the technical way; then it's just very funny. I imagine that this would probably be the stuff the Teletubbies would hear after munching on special made Teletubbiecake. Purple bunnies hopping around and balloons with smiley faces everywhere.

The pretty tune "Frankentoy" simply made me laugh in a hysterical way. When listening to this, every situation that you were doing before suddenly has transformed in a comical hilarious fun act in the sound-circus. A good track to do your taxes with; as you will be laughing your way through the bureaucratic seriousness.

You'll probably end up ripping the paper apart and team up with your household friends (real or imaginary) for a polonaise followed by sensationally funny dancing. Slam the bucket, shake the bum and hit a fork on the pan, climb in the curtains, and dance on the rooftop upside down and jump like Mario as if on magic mushrooms.

Twink's Happy Houses is on the outside a crazy rodeo of a toy box full of cuteness & funniness forming a lovely party. On the inside it's technically well made with nifty beautiful melodies and interesting compositions so well in rhythm as in structure. Now put on your jolly face, prepare your turtle costume and toy piano and get your hands on one of the cutest CDs out there.