Happiness Not Included

{{Music ratings

| MC = 78/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/happiness-not-included/soft-cell|title=*Happiness Not Included by Soft Cell Reviews and Tracks|publisher=Metacritic|access-date=6 June 2022}}

| rev1 = The Guardian

| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/may/06/soft-cell-happiness-not-included-review|title=Soft Cell: *Happiness Not Included review – synth-pop elders with an eye on the future|work=The Guardian|last=Simpson|first=Dave|date=6 May 2022|access-date=12 May 2022}}

| rev2 = The Independent

| rev2score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/sigrid-review-soft-cell-album-b2072321.html|title=Album reviews: Sigrid – It Gets Dark, and Soft Cell – Happiness Not Included|work=The Independent|last=O'Connor|first=Roisin|date=7 May 2022|access-date=12 May 2022}}

| rev3 = The Line of Best Fit

| rev3score = 7/10{{cite web|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/reviews/albums/soft-cell-happiness-not-included-album-review1|title=Soft Cell – Happiness Not Included {{!}} Album Review|website=The Line of Best Fit|last=Todd|first=Chris|date=6 May 2022|access-date=12 May 2022}}

| rev4 = Mojo

| rev4score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite magazine|last=Buckley|first=David|title=Their first studio album since 2002|magazine=Mojo|date=July 2022|issue=344|page=93}}

| rev5 = musicOMH

| rev5score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/soft-cell-happiness-not-included|title=Soft Cell – Happiness Not Included {{!}} Album Reviews|website=musicOMH|last=Marsh|first=Graeme|date=4 May 2022|access-date=12 May 2022}}

| rev6 = The Telegraph

| rev6score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/what-to-listen-to/arcade-fire-right-best-plus-weeks-best-albums/|title=Arcade Fire rule the world, Soft Cell return at last – the week's best albums|website=The Telegraph|last=Hall|first=James|date=6 May 2022|access-date=6 June 2022}}

| rev7 = Uncut

| rev7score = 8/10{{Cite magazine|last=Mueller|first=Andrew|title=Like they've never been away|magazine=Uncut|date=April 2022|issue=299|page=35}}

}}

On review aggregator Metacritic, *Happiness Not Included received a score of 78 out of 100 based on nine reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception. Dave Simpson of The Guardian called it a "wryly hopeful record" with "some trademark electro bangers". Writing for The Line of Best Fit, Chris Todd summarised the "flavour" of the album as "one of world weariness peppered with salacious reflections of tales of past". Roisin O'Connor of The Independent remarked on the downbeat nature of the lyrics, writing that while Soft Cell "were hardly upbeat to begin with, [...] this is downright miserable" although acknowledging that they "have good reason to be" and concluding that "it's not all hopeless – at least the music is good".

{{Track listing

| all_writing = Marc Almond and David Ball except where noted.

| headline = *Happiness Not Included CD track listing

| title1 = Happy Happy Happy

| length1 = 4:46

| title2 = Polaroid

| length2 = 4:41

| title3 = Bruises on All My Illusions

| length3 = 4:45

| title4 = Purple Zone

| note4 = with Pet Shop Boys

| length4 = 3:11

| title5 = Heart Like Chernobyl

| length5 = 3:24

| title6 = Light Sleepers

| length6 = 4:41

| title7 = *Happiness Not Included

| length7 = 4:55

| title8 = Nostalgia Machine

| length8 = 4:34

| title9 = Nighthawks

| length9 = 5:14

| title10 = I'm Not a Friend of God

| length10 = 4:34

| title11 = Tranquiliser

| length11 = 3:50

| title12 = New Eden

| length12 = 6:29

| total_length = 55:04

}}

{{reflist}}

{{Soft Cell}}

Category:2022 albums

Category:BMG Rights Management albums

Category:Soft Cell albums

{{2020s-album-stub}}