Singer-songwriter Todd Snider is nothing if not an individualist. For his trouble, he's alienated more than one label, not to mention a few potential fans. Happy to Be Here, his Oh Boy debut, follows three 1990s albums for MCA that seemed to produce a very polar response: he developed a strong cult following, although many Americana fans, those predisposed to like him, seemed oddly turned off by his smug sarcasm. Happy seems like just the album to break him, however. Produced by Ray Kennedy, the record is sonically rich, well developed, and diverse, and Snider shows a knack for surprisingly accessible pop melodies. Snider pulls no punches in his lyrics--whether being ironic and cynical or sweet and sincere--and he uses an array of musical settings: there are gentle, romantic ballads boasting only acoustic guitar and harmonica; scorching, scathing country-rockers; rambling folk stories; and horn-fueled blues workouts. Snider's voice is full bodied, emotive, and resonant, even if his pain-and-twang sometimes seems a tad bit forced. Still, Snider emerges with a deeply soulful and mature record that turns his individuality into a true asset. --Marc Greilsamer
