Happy Songs [Virgin 2010]

Five years after its first compilation, the Happy Songs series returns with another 42 tracks of uplifting feel-good pop, covering various genres and spanning several decades. The first disc kicks off with two songs that haven't left the airwaves all summer, Eliza Doolittle's retro jazz-pop Top Ten hit "Pack Up" and Train's unexpected comeback track, the reggae-infused "Hey Soul Sister," followed by two tracks that haven't left the airwaves for several years, Lily Allen's ska-inspired "Smile" and Jason Mraz's infectious "I'm Yours." The Radio 2-style track list veers off into more Radio 1 territory with club anthems from Yolanda Be Cool and David Guetta, but it's two unashamedly pure pop songs, Alphabeat's High School Musical-esque "Fascination" and Katrina & the Waves' joyous '80s anthem "Walking on Sunshine" that encapsulate the album's premise. Tracks from Spandau Ballet, Toploader, and the Source are uninspired and overplayed choices, but there are a few welcome surprise additions, particularly Roll Deep's dance/R&B hybrid "Good Times" and Röyksopp's appropriately titled "Happy Up Here." The more retro second disc concentrates on classic '60s, '70s, and '80s tracks, along with a few lesser-known hits from Lulu and Labi Siffre, and a trio of Brit-pop classics from the Kooks, Blur, and Supergrass. Highlights include the Monkees' effortlessly chirpy "Daydream Believer," Al Green's soul standard "Let's Stay Together," and Diana Ross' Bee Gees-penned number one, "Chain Reaction." Happy Songs 2010 may contain few surprises, but with its all-inclusive track list, should guarantee that even the sternest souls will find something to make them smile. ~ Jon O'Brien