Images

I Could Be Happy: The Best of Altered Images is an excellent, thorough collection covering all of the highlights from the band's three albums, adding several non-LP singles for good measure. All of the group's hits – "Happy Birthday," "I Could Be Happy," "See Those Eyes," "Love and Kisses" – are presented, usually in their single versions, plus many fine album tracks, making I Could Be Happy a definitive retrospective.

After a thirty eight year hiatus, the rejuvenated band have just completed putting the finishing touches to the first Altered Images music since the album Bite was released in 1983. It’s an upbeat and contemporary sounding album which sounds like a natural progression of the Altered Images journey and sound, all topped with the instantly recognisable vocals of Clare Grogan. The album is produced by former Altered Images band member and acclaimed producer Stephen Lironi and features 12 songs that Clare Grogan has co-written with Stephen, Bernard Butler and Bobby Bluebell.

The album Happy Birthday bears little resemblance to the cute and bubbly new wave pop of the title track, for which they're best remembered. Instead of capitalizing on the brightness of the obvious hit single, producer Steven Severin (of Siouxsie & the Banshees) pushed the band into moodier post-punk territory with minimalist arrangements and simple, driving rhythms. Clair Grogan's little-girl voice was probably better suited to pop, but the combination of the two extremes is certainly interesting, if not as fun and engaging as "Happy Birthday".