Outerbasses by Sadhappy: A Sonic Headtrip You Didn’t Know You Needed
Alright, let’s cut the crap. Outerbasses by Sadhappy isn’t your run-of-the-mill jazz-rock album—it’s a freakin’ rollercoaster through genres that shouldn’t work together but somehow do. Released back in 2013 under their self-released label (props to them for DIY guts), this thing is like if Frank Zappa had a love child with Tangerine Dream and raised it on a diet of whale sounds and existential dread.
The lineup? Tight as hell. Michael Manring on bass delivers lines so smooth they feel illegal, while Evan Schiller pulls triple duty—drums, synths, AND recording/mixing—and makes it look easy. These guys don’t just play music; they weaponize it.
Now, let me hit you with two tracks that’ll stick to your brain like gum on a hot sidewalk:
First up, “Nightmare at Guitar Center.” Oh man, this one’s a wild ride. It starts off innocently enough, but then BAM—you’re thrown into some sort of dystopian guitar shop fever dream. The drums are punchy, the synths are haunting, and there’s this creeping sense of unease that builds until you’re practically clawing at the walls. I mean, who even thinks of making a song about freaking Guitar Center? But damn if it doesn’t work. Every time I hear it, I can almost smell the stale air and cheap cables.
Then there’s “Stop the Car........NOW!!!!!” This track hits different. Imagine driving down a desert highway when suddenly something catches your eye—a UFO, a mirage, or maybe just an abandoned taco stand—and you slam those brakes hard. That’s what this song feels like. It’s chaotic, unpredictable, and kinda unhinged, but in the best way possible. The basslines alone could melt steel beams, and the electronic drums give it this glitchy, otherworldly vibe. By the end, you’re left wondering whether you should laugh, cry, or check your car for alien probes.
Honestly, this album doesn’t fit neatly into any box, and thank god for that. It’s jazz, it’s rock, it’s ambient, it’s prog—it’s all over the damn place. And yeah, sometimes it feels like listening to someone’s acid trip diary, but isn’t that what experimental music’s supposed to be?
Here’s the kicker though: Outerbasses might not change your life, but it sure as hell will mess with your head. In a world full of cookie-cutter albums, Sadhappy dared to go weird, and we’re better off because of it. Just don’t listen to it while operating heavy machinery—or trying to buy a guitar at Guitar Center.
Final thought: If aliens ever invade Earth, I’m blasting this album from the rooftops. Maybe they’ll think twice before messing with us. Or maybe they’ll just vibe to it. Who knows?
