Record Review: Elizabeth McQueen and the Firebrands, 'Happy Doing What We're Doing'

Web Posted: 02/24/2005 12:00 AM CST

San Antonio Express-News

(Freedom)

Elizabeth McQueen knows how to sing and how to have fun singing. Able to twang it up with the Firebrands and croon jazz with Bright Lights Society, McQueen never fails to bring a sense of joy to a song.

With 'Happy,' McQueen and her twang/rocking cohorts in the Firebrands and the Conrads tap into a rich musical vein — '70s British pub rock. The precursor to New Wave and punk, pub rock is rave up roots-rock done with fervor, wit and bite. McQueen and company do a fine job of reprising the sound and adding steel guitar country to the mix.

Drawing from the books of the biggies of pub rock, Dave Edmunds ('A1 on the Jukebox,' Rockpile's 'When I Write the Book' and their cover of 'You Ain't Nothin' But Fine'), Brinsley Schwarz (the title track), Elvis Costello ('Almost Blue') and others, McQueen captures the freewheeling spirit while adding plenty of her own verve. Here's hoping there's a 'Happy Vol. II.' Rock 'n' country needs McQueen's brand of happy. ***1/2

—Jim Beal Jr.