Opal - Happy Nightmare Baby (9 tracks) +Album Reviews

Get the 1st album (if you can find it!)

T. Dewar | San Francisco, CA | 02/04/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Although "Happy Nightmare" has a couple of compelling tracks on it, the band's true masterwork was their debut album. "Northern Line" and "Harriet Brown" are as hauntingly beautiful as anything I've ever heard. We had the LP at my college radio station in the 80's, and it took me 2 years to find a copy of the CD through one of those rare/out-of-print search services in "Goldmine" magazine. It was worth it. Next to that record, nothing on the 2nd album or by Mazzy Star even comes close."

Classic Psychedelia

T. Dewar | 09/14/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Influenced by such bands as Pink Floyd, the Doors, and T-Rex, Opal blasted out of the Berkley music scene with this 1987 gem. Mixing scary blues riffs, psychedelia, and the avant, David Roback created one of the most memorable bands of the late 1980's. Kendra Smith's nonchalant vocals are set deep within the mix of Roback's screeching guitars and trippy organ, loading the album with nightmarish soundscapes. While Roback gained later fame with his band Mazzy Star and Kendra Smith released several solo albums, they have yet capture that magic that Opal had on Happy Nightmare Baby."

A must have

George Marshall | New York, NY | 05/30/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"While yes, the recording quality is not the best, the material is amazing. This is probably my favorite of all of Dave Roback's work. Kendra Smith's voice is perfect for the music and the music is insanely good. I have been listening to this cd since it was release and it never tires."

This album is a buried treasure

Fireant3 | AZ | 03/02/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Why oh why did I long ago trade in my vinyl copy of this album? At least I've got it on cassette. I was 15 in 1987 when I bought it. I remember having a bunch of friends and acquaintances from high school over to my backyard one afternoon sophomore year. I jammed my cassette copy of this album on my boombox as we all smoked some fine tobacco. All the kids liked it, some REALLY grooved on it, even though there were a variety of partyin' kids there: long-hair metal kids, mod/punk kids (of which I was one), jocks who liked to smoke the fine tobacco, etc. AWESOME, AWESOME, stuff. If you're familiar with David Roback and Rain Parade and Mazzy Star, you'll like this even more. It's actually my favorite Roback album that I've heard, and I love Mazzy. If you're not aware of Roback, but like trippy, psychedelic, mellow rock to smoke fine tobacco to, get this. Oh yeah, "Happy Nightmare Baby" is one of the best songs ever. Right on, dudes!"

Down...down...down like a razor wrapt in cotton

jim locker | nyc usa | 02/24/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"one of the saddest days in my life...hearing that the Opal concert I was supposed to be attending...had been cancelled. Super Bummer.

I don't know how I stumbled onto this band, probably college radio-in the wee small hours-coming down off...

To the people who compare this band to the doors!?!?

The doors tried for years to make music this haunting, seductive and opiate laced. They didn't come close.

Kendra Smith's vox are so languid, effortless and sung as if she's just breathing the words out of her mouth, so smoooooth, so smacking of horse. AND she's playin the bass...oh so sweet.

Meanwhile D.Roback and whomever else, are creating the most velvet induced din, ebbing between git wailing supreme and floating drones of the studded wallpaper ilk... to mighty maximum e/affect...whoa...how can you talk about music this good? You can't! Intoxicating. Hypnotic. Etherial.

Track down any opal you can, turn out the lights and float away. And, oh yeah, don't forget to turn it up reeeeal loud. Several times daily.

Mazzy star...good but not opal. Portishead? Probably had this album.

Roback formed Mazzy with a Kendra stand in (at least he didn't call it Opal) and Kendra went macrobiotic, moved to nothern Ca. and released a cool album in the mid nineties. That's the last I heard.

Anyone know what she's up to?"

Search - Opal :: Happy Nightmare Baby

CD Details

CD Reviews

	Opal Happy Nightmare Baby Genres: Alternative Rock, Pop, Rock Track Listings (9) - Disc #1 Rocket Machine Magick Power Revelation A Falling Star She's A Diamond Supernova Siamese Trap Happy Nightmare Baby Soul Giver
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