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Happy Hour is the fifth studio album by experimental music band King Missile, and released on December 15, 1992 by Atlantic Records.[1][2] The album is exactly one hour long, hence its title.

Happy Hour
Studio album by King Missile
Released	December 15, 1992 (1992-12-15)
Genre	Alternative rock experimental rock noise rock avant-garde
Length	59:56
Label	Atlantic
Producer	John S. Hall Mark Kramer Roger Murdock Dave Rick Steve Watson Chris Xefos
King Missile chronology
The Way to Salvation (1991) Happy Hour (1992) King Missile (1994)
Singles from Happy Hour
"Detachable Penis" Released: 1992 "Martin Scorsese" Released: 1992 "(Why Are We) Trapped?" Released: 1993

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]
Entertainment Weekly	A[4]
Rolling Stone	[5]
Spin Alternative Record Guide	8/10[6]
The Village Voice	[7]

Ned Raggett of AllMusic awarded the album four out of five stars and said "due in part to the return of Kramer to production – or in this case co-production – duties, along with a slew of more immediately memorable songs, Happy Hour trumps The Way to Salvation as the peak of the band's high-profile days, an inspired collection of tunes ranging from deranged pop to full-on epic metal stomp." The critic also said "thanks to a catchy arrangement via Rick's clipped, stuttered guitar riff and the sweetly sung title phrase in the background, the result is giddy left-field nonsense." and "it's the blessed liveliness of the whole album – at a premium in the days of full-on grunge when it came out, still rare enough years later – that makes it stand up so well."[3] Trouser Press said "Hall's surreal accounts have the vivid sense of purpose previously absent; he’s not aiming at eliciting wan smiles, he’s trying to provoke intelligent thought" and "meanwhile, the band (drummer Roger Murdock is that new face in the booklet photo) locks into diverse rock grooves that would be worth hearing even without the vocals."[8] Robert Christgau chose the band's hit single "Detachable Penis" as the album's "choice cut".[7]

Track listing

Personnel

Adapted from the Happy Hour liner notes.[9]

King Missile

• John S. Hall – lead vocals, production
• Dave Rick – guitar, production
• Roger Murdock – drums, percussion, keyboards, Emulator, production, guitar (17)
• Chris Xefos – bass guitar, keyboards, percussion, backing vocals, production

Additional performers

• Mal Rick – clarinet (17)

Production and design

• Annalisa – photography
• Tom Bouman – design
• Jola Hesselberth – cover art
• Ron Jaramillo – design
• Mark Kramer – production, Mellotron (9), bass guitar (17)
• Inge Schaap – art direction
• Steve Watson – production, assistant engineering

Charts

Chart performance for Happy Hour

Chart (1993)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[10]	93

Release history

Region	Date	Label	Format	Catalog
United States	1992	Atlantic	CD, CS	7567-82459
Canada			CD
Germany
Japan	1993			AMCY-549

References

External links

• Happy Hour at Discogs (list of releases)

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