Oswald Slain, the newly rebranded indie rock project of Charlie Fitzgerald and Rhii Williams (formerly Little Thief), makes an unforgettable entrance with their debut single, “Happiness is Overrated”. Channelling the frustration and humour of life’s relentless pressures, the track is a bar-crawl through the highs and lows, dressed in a confident rock swagger.
The song’s foundation pulses with fuzzy guitar riffs and upbeat rhythms that are reminiscent of old school Americana, but with a fresh bite carried over from their past work. Charlie’s raw storytelling takes centre stage, weaving vivid lyrics inspired by a bleak yet comically self-aware moment in lockdown. He recalls,
“Final lock down, locked up at home. Everything had kinda fallen apart in my musical world and we were just drinking corner shop wine and trying to keep morale up.”
Turning that personal chaos into a track that brims with both melancholy and defiance, it was recorded in their DIY home studio and the track’s production strikes a perfect balance of rugged and intimate. The juxtaposition between Charlie’s wry lyrics and the track’s upbeat and infectious sound creates a compelling contrast that feels both authentic and effortlessly engaging.
“Happiness is Overrated” captures Oswald Slain’s evolution from past turmoil to a brighter, albeit sardonic, outlook. It’s a song that’s as much about finding humour in hard times as it is about rediscovering purpose and it does so with an irresistible groove.
