Seeing that Blue October released a new album peaked my interest. I’m a huge fan of 90’s alternative and was more than just curious to hear what they had to say in 2018. After my first listen, I was underwhelmed for the most part. I felt they had a few stand out songs like “I Want to Come Back Home” , “Colors Collide”, and the title track “I Hope You’re Happy” but other than that, the album didn’t resonate with me. Despite my personal feelings, you can hear the band’s growth from their angsty days of “Hate Me” and “ Into the Ocean” into a more mature parent like feel. I love seeing the progression of a band, for better or worse,, and I feel that “I Hope You’re Happy” lands in the middle of that spectrum. In the end, Blue October’s “I Hope You’re Happy” is something that I’m sure diehard fans will love, but to me it left no impact and is ultimately forgettable.
