Mansionair have finally released their expansive, intricately crafted album, Happiness, Guaranteed. via Glassnote Records. Produced by Jon Gilmore (The 1975), the project is the result of a creative process with no expectations at the outset, writing for the sake of writing and letting the music naturally guide them forward. Stream the album now HERE or below.
The band explains, “Having come off the back of touring our first record Shadowboxer we were keen to get back in the room together and start writing new material. Traditionally we had taken the approach of writing sketches alone and sharing them with each other in the studio. We wanted to shake this process up and decided to rent a house, set up our instruments, and play freely together with no expectations; we did this over a couple of months. A lot of the music we made during those sessions felt like new territory for us and a move in the right direction. One of the first songs we landed on was ‘More,’ which is based around a character disillusioned by their desire for consuming possessions. It’s a tongue-in-cheek exploration into how we’re sold happiness with what we can buy, something which we all really resonated with at the time – filling our apartments with furniture, buying gear, and settling back down into a post-tour life.”
They continue, “‘Don’t Wait’ was another important piece of the puzzle. It’s a song that reckons with a break up and greeting the great unknown. It was a more joyous moment in the record, touching on the freedoms of growing up and having a better understanding of who you are and what you want in a relationship. ‘The Trouble with Us’ was a similar exploration but focused more on the pain and frustration of a relationship ending. Throughout the record there’s this desire to arrive, to reach what we’ve been promised in life, a sense of completion and happiness.”
They conclude, “Songs like ‘Happy Now’ and ‘Shallow Water’ are attempts to reassure ourselves, admitting to the fact that there are things we can control – like our sense of gratitude, but many more we can’t – like how people perceive you and treat you. The questions posed across the album were really focused on how to be okay with the curveballs life can throw at you, learning how to be grateful for what you’ve got, and being okay with the fact that not everything goes the way you plan.”
Summer tour
May 31, 2022- New York, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
June 1, 2022- Boston, MA @ Sinclair
June 2, 2022- Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry
June 5, 2022- Washington, DC @ Union Hall
June 7, 2022- Toronto, ON @ Lee’s
June 8, 2022- Columbus, OH @ A&R Bar
June 10, 2022- Minneapolis, MN @ Turf Club
June 11, 2022- Kansas City, MO @ Record Bar
June 14, 2022- Denver, CO @ Marquis
June 15, 2022- Salt Lake City, UT @ Soundwell
June 17, 2022- Seattle, WA @ Crocodile
June 18, 2022- Portland, OR @ Aladdin
June 19, 2022- Vancouver, BC @ Hollywood Theatre
June 21, 2022- San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
June 24, 2022- Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room
June 25, 2022- Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Theatre