Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

New Music Monday: Superhuman Happiness

new music monday superhuman happiness
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Cover-ShH-EVStuart Bogie may be one of the most in-demand musicians in New York right now. He has worked with: Antibalas, Arcade Fire, David Byrne, Iron & Wine, and TV on the Radio. Given all his collaborations, it is impressive that he finds time not just to make original music, but to make excellent original music. Bogie’s band, Superhuman Happiness, released their sophomore full-length, Escape Velocity, on September 18th through The Royal Potato Family.

The band play a brand of infectious and unrepentantly rhythmic dance music, even going so far as to call it “physical cinematic dance rock” at one time. Those already familiar with Superhuman Happiness’ sound may be surprised at the thematic direction Bogie and co. take on Escape Velocity. The LP is self-described as “a seven-track effort that explores how human-made technologies inversely shape our internal emotional landscapes.” The band’s description of the album may sound overly ambitious, but Superhuman Happiness spend little time navel-gazing on the record. Those danceable rhythms keep the music from sinking under its own weight. “Date & Time,” for example, finds its refrain in the lyric, “we’re going nowhere clicking on those pretty pictures,” but a propulsive bass line buoys the track.

Date & Time

Bogie and collaborator Eric Biondo consistently rearrange Superhuman Happiness’ lineup. 2014 saw the release of a new single, “Catch a Break,” featuring another rearranged lineup. This new lineup features Andrea Diaz—whose vocals can be heard not only on the single, but on the rest of Escape Velocity as well—plus contributions from Sarah Neufeld, Joe Russo, and Colin Stetson. All four musicians add considerable skill to the record, but it is Diaz’s voice that comes through most prominently.

Superhuman Happiness - Catch A Break

Superhuman Happiness’ latest full-length, Escape Velocity, is out now through The Royal Potato Family and available via Amazon, iTunes, and The Royal Potato Family’s online store.

Superhuman Happiness - Super 8
Terence Praet
Terence Praet contributes to The Manual’s New Music Monday column. He studied Philosophy and History at Skidmore College…
The Ghostbusters have a new ride in Frozen Empire, courtesy of Mercedes Benz
Mercedes Benz Sprinter plays a pivotal role in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
The ECTO-Z makes its debut in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.

Later this month, the Ghostbusters will be back on the big screen in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. And while three generations of the team are coming together, there is a big addition to the crew: The ECTO-Z. At an event in New York City, Mercedes-Benz officially unveiled the Ghostbusters' new ride, which is a customized Mercedes-Benz Sprinter that follows in the footsteps of the iconic ECTO-1 from the first three films.

Given the larger size of the second and third-generation Ghostbusters team, it was only natural that they would need a vehicle that could carry all of them to the scene of a haunting anywhere in NYC. As for the name, it comes from original team member Dr. Winston Zeddemore, as played by Ernie Hudson. Ghostbusters: Afterlife established that Zeddemore is now the financial backer of the Ghostbusters and the de facto leader of the team.

Read more
Everything points to Apple TV+ making a change you’re not going to like
Is an ad-supported tier coming to Apple TV+?
The Apple TV Plus Logo

It turns out that TV worked pretty well under its old model. According to a new report from Business Insider, Apple TV+ may be the latest streaming service that's set to introduce an ad-supported tier and charge those who don't stream with ads a premium fee to access their great shows and movies.

At this point, the report is still speculation, but Apple has made several recent hires in the advertising space that seem to suggest the direction they're planning to take. The company recently hired former NBCUniversal ad executive Joseph Cady to serve as executive vice president of advanced advertising and partnerships, a move that comes following the company's hiring of another former NBCUniversal executive, Jason Frum, who joined Apple's video ad sales team.

Read more
From Gilda Radner to Ali Wong, these are the best female comedians of all time
These women from all generations will make you laugh out loud
Ai Wong comedian 2017 Moontower comedy festival

Hot take: I don’t care for straight male comedians. It’s not that they’re not funny, they’re just … I don’t know, boring? Maybe that’s reductive of me, but I never seem to leave a straight male comedian’s set feeling particularly inspired. And though some may argue that it’s not important for a set to "inspire" its audience, I’d actually argue that the opposite is true. For me, I want to see a comedian use humor to address real issues and say real things about the world, even if they do it in a completely goofy way.

Therefore, I tend to prefer female and female-identified comedians. They’re sharp, tough, and have often seen shit that makes their comedy feel raw and true. Undoubtedly there are male comedians who do this, too, but to a much lesser degree, in my very humble and very personal opinion.

Read more