Happier Blue is an album by American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 singer/songwriter Chris Smither

Chris Smither

Chris Smither is an American folk/blues singer, guitarist, and songwriter. His music draws deeply from the blues, American folk music, modern poets and philosophers.-Early life, influences and education:...

, released in 1993. It won a National American Independent Record Distributors (NAIRD) award.

Reception

Writing for Allmusic, critic Richard Meyer wrote of the album "All the elements of Chris Smither's distinctive style are here: passionate vocals, his cool songs, and some covers." Music critic Robert Christgau

Robert Christgau

Robert Christgau is an American essayist, music journalist, and self-proclaimed "Dean of American Rock Critics".One of the earliest professional rock critics, Christgau is known for his terse capsule reviews, published since 1969 in his Consumer Guide columns...

 gave the album a two-star honorable mention and briefly commented "expansive new songs, congenial new band, and the stompingest foot this side of John Lee Hooker"

Track listing

All songs by Chris Smither unless otherwise noted.

1. "Happier Blue"
2. "Memphis in the Meantime" (John Hiatt
   John Hiatt
   John Hiatt is an American rock guitarist, pianist, singer, and songwriter. He has played a variety of musical styles on his albums, including New Wave, blues and country. Hiatt has been nominated for several Grammy Awards - although he has never won- and has been awarded a variety of other...
   
   )
3. "The Devil's Real"
4. "No More Cane on the Brazos/Mail Order Mystics" (Smither, Traditional)
5. "No Reward"
6. "Already Gone (Flatfoot Blues)"
7. "Killing the Blues" (Rowland Salley
   Rowland Salley
   Rowland Salley is an American musician, songwriter and artist, sometimes called Roly Salley. Salley is a bass guitarist and vocalist for Chris Isaak's band Silvertone...
   
   )
8. "Rock and Roll Doctor" (George)
9. "Magnolia" (J. J. Cale)
10. "Honeysuckle Dog"
11. "Take it All"
12. "Time to Spend"

Personnel

• Chris Smither – vocals, guitar, foot percussion
• Bill Urmson - bass
• Robin Batteau - violin
• Bill Brookheim - percussion
• Brad Hatfield - keyboards
• Bob Gay - Saxophone
• Mark Egan - bass