Happy Kreter has been exciting the Canadian music press lately by the fact that he used to be a member of Vancouver punk stalwarts Gob, and he is drug free and vegan. That means he eats mostly greens—but it doesn't say much about his stale musical vision. Paradigm Lost is basically mediocre emo-lite, with a smidgen of interesting instrumentation and a fair helping of cliché. Gob, for those unfamiliar, were a Canadian punk band that rose from indie obscurity onto the waves of radio back in the mid-90s on the back of solid songs. Happy Kreter's descent from punk rock peaks down to the world of pop-balladry is akin to Green Day's string-laden weepy of years ago—minus the hit or songwriting.
Happy Kreter may not have convinced me, but he will surely pluck the heartstrings of at least a few teenage girls with lines such as, "Let it go, I'll catch you as you fall/I'll carry you until you find the strength again to walk," as he sings on "Promise." Kreter's strummed acoustic chords improve when joined by a host of musicians following the lead with cello, keys, violin and string bass.
Paradigm Lost is not a bad piece of music, and there is no denying that Happy Kreter could continue to make some medium-sized waves. Give some of the tracks a few clicks, and they will rise from humble beginnings (see opener "The Furthest Reaches"). Nevertheless, it's a close pass.
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