SICKY - I'm Happy If You're Happy
British alternative artist SICKY presents his new single 'I'm Happy If You're Happy', an upbeat affair exploring temptation and the art of winning over another.... of all the possibilities if the bait is pitched right. Featuring Jen Bone (Project Blues Band) on double bass, this is the first taste of his new album 'Troubled Delight', to be released in early 2025.
SICKY is the solo project of Mick Butler, whose brand of melodic Britpop-infused indie rock spells good news for fans of Beck, Supergrass and early Blur. Originally from the Black Country region of England, he is now based in Shropshire.
His forthcoming album - his third to date - is a more organic beast than previous offerings, featuring instruments "borrowed from the kids' music room", he says, "including a broken violin, a ukulele, gloks, bells, drums and a mouth organ… Anything you could get a noise out of really".
While Mick Butler has had his run of playing in bands, ranging from the brass soaked pop of Papa Mantra to the dirty stomp of SUMO, he now derives pleasure from banging out tunes and crafting new material. Literally everything you hear in his music is him squeezing noises out of anything that'll sing.
"This is a song about seduction. The use of temptation as a means to an end. Calculated moves to get something from an unsuspecting dreamer. The track features the wonderful Jen Bone on double bass. I wasn’t too sure how to record the bass, so just pointed a mic at it and hoped for the best.I think luckily it turned out well. Also featuring is the force of nature that is Lily and Scarlet on backing vocals and random noises. This was not a dull recording process," says Mick Butler.
"In the background you may hear Scarlet’s impressive turkey impression as well as all sorts of percussion instruments borrowed from the girls' music box. Some played by them and some by me.
There is a slightly chaotic feel to it but hopefully the energy and the joy cuts through. Here, there's more than a slight doffing of the cap towards The Cure's 'The Lovecats'. Hopefully Mr. Smith would enjoy it."
This single arrives two years since the release of British alternative artist SICKY presents his thickly layered and widely acclaimed sophomore album 'Garbage Town'. SICKY released his debut album 'Bowling Balls', partially inspired by Prince, Bowie and Ray Bradbury's book 'The Martian Chronicles', in 2021 during lockdown.
As of December 3, 'I'm Happy If You're Happy' is available from fine digital platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. The full 'Troubled Delight' album will be released on February 14, 2025.
