Triggar Happy - EP Review: Testify
Triggar Happy is the reinvention of Regan Tucker, from traditional Country artist into an exponent of the Country/Hip-Hop scene, under the guidance of Auckland's Royalty Music Group. Growing up on a farm in Otorohanga exposed a young Triggar Happy to the Country stylings of artists like Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, and George Strait. However, Hip-Hop also infiltrated his burgeoning musical tastes, in the shape of artists like Boyz II Men, MC Hammer, and Vanilla Ice. That combination of influences inspired the music on Testify, Triggar Happy's debut EP.
The three tracks on Testify are well produced, with a fat, tight low end, and crystal clear vocals. It's probably a Country music thing, but I struggle with hearing a Kiwi vocalist affect such a strong "Southern USA" accent, it would have been interesting to hear the Kiwi accent one finds in his brief self-promotional videos on YouTube.
The title track is first up, a finger-picked acoustic guitar underpinning Testify's vocal delivery. It's a song largely about resilience and perseverance, with the occasional crowd-rousing line such as "I'm a country boy, I'm going to make some noise, if you're a country boy, come on and make some noise like me" (sorry country girls, you'll have to stay quiet on this one).
Cowboy Power is next up, a statement of intent in fairly stereotypical Hip-Hop fashion, following the well-tested formula of announcing how much better the artist is than their contemporaries, leaving the listener in no doubt that Triggar Happy is an unchallenged maverick of the scene. Conversely, final track In My Head leans much more into the Country stylings, with the mournful lyrics describing a blown-up truck, being rained on, and being left by his baby all in the first stanza! A very Western-esque whistle smokes its way through the vocals of the chorus, lending credence to the cowboy vibe.
Triggar Happy has plans to take his music to the home of Country music in the USA, where he'll no doubt be very well received...watch this space.
About Triggar Happy
At the tender age of five, a microphone became his companion, and the notes he sang echoed through the farm’s vast expanse. It was in these early moments that Triggar Happy discovered the symphony within him, a prelude to his lifelong journey in music.
Triggar Happy’s music defies the confines of genre. It’s a harmonious blend where Country Rock meets the pulsating rhythms of Hip Hop. This unique blend is the result of a diverse influences that shaped his sonic landscape. As a child, American Rock ‘n’ Roll captured his heart, and names like Vanilla Ice, MC Hammer, and Boys To Men stirred his musical soul. Yet, the farm’s rhythms also played their part, as legends like Garth Brooks, Brooks and Dunn, Alan Jackson, and George Strait wove their influence into his musical tapestry.
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Triggar Happy
Releases
Other Reviews By Peter K Malthus
Narcotic Tonsils - Album Review: You'll Get What You're Given
18 Dec 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
Now, I'm just going to get this out of the way right at the start: I know these guys, their guitarist Troy is a really good mate of mine, and I used to share a house with their frontman/bassist Andy - in fact, when he first started talking about a new band he wanted to put together, back in 2019. Two years later, Narcotic Tonsils erupted into being, and swiftly became my favourite Christchurch band (apart from the ones I'm in myself, obviously).
Read More...
Damien Binder - EP Review: Heartful
16 Dec 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
Damien Binder is now well into his fourth decade of releasing music, and his third as a solo artist. He has an impressive back catalogue to show for it, and his latest EP Heartful sits admirably alongside his previous releases.
Read More...
16 Dec 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
I had a fair amount of trepidation about heading along to Otautahi Smoke BBQ Festival, the temperature was forecast to be 31 degrees, and I'm one of those folk who, as Billy Connolly so eloquently put it, is "so white, I'm pale blue". Luckily, I found a nice shady spot with a great view of the stage, and easy access to the free water station, and with a nice cool breeze blowing through, I didn't have to worry about burning to a crisp.
Read More...
Lavender - EP Review: Types Of Infatuation
29 Nov 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
Types Of Infatuation is the name and the theme of the debut EP from Tamaki Makaurau based Lavender, who has been songwriting and performing from a young age, and whose style has developed into a well-crafted blend of indie folk-pop and alt-rock. Lavender has performed at many high profile events over the past few years, and if this EP is anything to go by, looks well set to go on too much bigger things again.
Read More...
Dylan Kay - EP Review: (I Could) Watch You Forever
29 Nov 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
Dylan Kay is a seasoned player, having begun 35 years ago, and having been teaching for the last 25 of them, including setting up what is now Auckland's biggest guitar school, in 2012. Originally from the U.
Read More...
Star Chart - EP Review: White Girl Whining
26 Nov 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
White Girl Whining is the sophomore EP from Tamaki Makaurau-based Star Chart, a project created and fronted by Chrissie Hart, multi-talented multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire. After an impressive career of touring the world playing on cruise ships, in hotels, and as a session musician, she returned to her hometown to finally start recording some original music that she'd been quietly working on since high school.
Read More...
CAITLIN - EP Review: Legacy
22 Nov 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
Legacy is the latest in an impressive list of releases from Otautahi-based CAITLIN, an EP comprised of her last three singles and one previously unreleased track, Attention. The four songs presented here amply demonstrate her growth and maturing as an artist and songwriter, as she examines the emotions involved in some deeply personal experiences, at times laying herself bare with rawness and honesty.
Read More...
19 Nov 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
Homemade Pills is a new album by Patients, one of the projects of Christchurch's Aeneas Jones. As well as fronting heavy rockers PhatSak and performing with Chickenyard and When I Was Sexy, Aeneas drew together the collective Patients to play and record this latest effort.
Read More...
Most Viewed Artists
Latest Galleries
NZ Top 10 Singles
- APT.
ROSÉ And Bruno Mars - DIE WITH A SMILE
Lady Gaga And Bruno Mars - BIRDS OF A FEATHER
Billie Eilish - TASTE
Sabrina Carpenter - I LOVE YOU, I'M SORRY
Gracie Abrams - ESPRESSO
Sabrina Carpenter - SAILOR SONG
Gigi Perez - LOSE CONTROL
Teddy Swims - A BAR SONG (TIPSY)
Shaboozey - GOOD LUCK, BABE!
Chappell Roan
More Content on muzic.net.nz
Google Site Search
100% New Zealand Music
All content on this website is copyright to muzic.net.nz and other respective rights holders. Redistribution of any material presented here without permission is prohibited.
Report A Problem
