Happy Mistakes

Kendall Schmidt described the record as "a passion project many years in the making." Schmidt stated that the name "Happy Mistakes" came together "by a bunch of mistakes, and they ended up being happy ones."{{cite web|url=https://www.sweetyhigh.com/read/kendall-schmidt-happy-mistakes|title=Kendall Schmidt On Heffron Drive's Happy Mistakes!|author=Veronica|website=Sweety High|date=September 12, 2014|access-date=June 4, 2024}} According to Schmidt, love and positivity played a major theme on the album. He stated, "I think there's a lot of negative music in the world, and if it's not negative then just pointless music. It doesn't help anybody. I don't think there's anything on Happy Mistakes that would incite anything but positive feeling, whether it's thinking about love in some way or just feeling better about yourself."

The album was recorded at Dracena Studios, Kite Music Productions, Sleepwalker Studios, TOLbooth Records and Schmidt's home studio in Los Angeles, California. It was produced by Toby Gad, Afshin Salmani, Steve Solomon, Denny White, Non Fiction, Kendall Schmidt, Dustin Belt and Cameron Walker-Wright.{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/happy-mistakes-mw0002717567#credits|title=Happy Mistakes - Heffron Drive Credits|website=AllMusic|access-date=June 3, 2024}} He described the album's sound as a "mix of pop, rock and electro." He wanted the album to have at least one or two ballad songs and as he was in the process of completing it, he decided to add a couple more up-tempo songs because "it got to a point where there was a lot of mid-tempo songs."{{cite web|url=https://entertainmentvoice.com/2014/09/24/kendall-schmidt-heffron-drive-writing-universal-audience-may-done-acting/|title=Kendall Schmidt of Heffron Drive: Writing for a Universal Audience and Why He May Not Be Done With Acting Yet|website=Entertainment Voice|author=Brianne Nemiroff|date=September 24, 2014|access-date=June 4, 2024}} The album's lead single, "Parallel" was co-written by Gad and was written in a span of three weeks. According to Schmidt, the two spent three weeks "tweaking melodies" and changing arrangements to fit the feeling of the song.{{cite web|url=https://popcrush.com/kendall-schmidt-interview-heffron-drive-parallel-love-defined-interview/|title=Kendall Schmidt Interview: Heffron Drive Singer is 'Super Proud' of 'Parallel', Reveals Details About New Song|website=PopCrush|author=Maggie Malach|date=March 25, 2014|access-date=June 4, 2024}} Schmidt wrote the lead track, "Happy Mistakes", "to inspire the feelings that hopefully have been conveyed through the lyrics."{{cite web|title=Kendall Schmidt on 'Happy Mistakes', Heffron Drive's Tour + More [EXCLUSIVE VIDEO]|url=https://popcrush.com/kendall-schmidt-heffron-drive-happy-mistakes-video/|website=PopCrush|author=Maggie Malach|date=September 2, 2014|access-date=June 4, 2024}} The track, "Love Defined" was the fastest song written from the album and was co-written by Bryce Soderberg. Schmidt described "One Track Mind", "Division of the Heart", and "Passing Time" as his "homage" to The Postal Service. "Had to Be Panama" is described as electronic, with a mix of reggae influences and was written about a girl Schmidt liked in Panama. "One Track Mind" is described as EDM.

On March 25, 2014, Heffron Drive released their debut single, "Parallel", which also serves as the lead single from Happy Mistakes.{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2014/03/24/heffron-drive-parallel-premiere/6819733/|title=Premiere: Heffron Drive's 'Parallel'|website=USA Today|author=Brian Mansfield|date=March 24, 2014|access-date=June 3, 2024}} On July 29, the duo announced their debut studio album, as well as an international tour in support of the album.{{cite web|url=http://popcrush.com/heffron-drive-2014-tour-album-happy-mistakes/|title=Heffron Drive Announce 2014 Tour + Debut Album 'Happy Mistakes'|website=PopCrush|author=Mandi Salerno|date=July 29, 2014|access-date=December 19, 2018}} On August 4, the duo premiered the track, "One Track Mind" live.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G62C12kn1A0|title=Heffron Drive - One Track Mind|website=YouTube|date=4 August 2014 |access-date=June 3, 2024}} On August 12, they unveiled the cover art and revealed the album's track listing.{{cite web|url=https://popcrush.com/heffron-drive-happy-mistakes-album-cover-track-listing/|title=Heffron Drive Reveal 'Happy Mistakes' Album Cover + Track Listing [Exclusive]|website=PopCrush|author=Maggie Malach|date=August 12, 2014|access-date=June 3, 2024}} The album artwork was created by Yvonne Bikejev, which Schmidt "loved" the egg-themed photo and used it as the cover art. On August 25, the duo released the lyrics for the songs "Division of the Heart" and "Passing Time".{{cite web|url=https://popcrush.com/heffron-drive-passing-time-lyrics/|title=See Heffron Drive's 'Passing Time' Lyrics [Exclusive]|website=PopCrush|author=Maggie Malach|date=August 25, 2014|access-date=June 3, 2024}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.j-14.com/posts/heffron-drive-releases-division-of-the-heart-lyrics-42135/|title=First Look: Heffron Drive Releases 'Division of the Heart' Lyrics|magazine=J-14|author=Brie Hiramine|date=August 25, 2014|access-date=June 3, 2024}} Happy Mistakes was officially released on September 9.

{{Music ratings

|rev1 = AllMusic

|rev1score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/happy-mistakes-mw0002717567|title=Happy Mistakes Review by Matt Collar|website=AllMusic|author=Matt Collar|access-date=2016-07-21}}

}}

Matt Collar of AllMusic gave the album a positive review stating, "This is earnest, yet infectiously radio-ready music that strikes a balance between sincere acoustic folk ('Parallel'), driving electronic dance music ('Nicotine'), and anthemic pop ('Panama')."

{{track listing

| headline = Standard edition

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Happy Mistakes

| writer1 = Dustin Belt, Kendall Schmidt

| extra1 =

| length1 = 3:27

| title2 = Parallel

| writer2 = Toby Gad, Schmidt

| extra2 = Toby Gad

| length2 = 3:20

| title3 = Division of the Heart

| writer3 = Josh Cumbee, Afshin Salmani, Schmidt

| extra3 = AFSHeeN

| length3 = 3:30

| title4 = Had to Be Panama

| writer4 = Schmidt, Steve Solomon, Cameron Walker-Wright

| extra4 = Steve Solomon

| length4 = 2:56

| title5 = Nicotine

| writer5 = Belt, Schmidt

| extra5 =

| length5 = 3:28

| title6 = Interlude (Instrumental)

| writer6 =

| extra6 =

| length6 = 1:25

| title7 = Art of Moving On

| writer7 = Schmidt, Steve Solomon

| extra7 = Steve Solomon

| length7 = 3:43

| title8 = Passing Time

| writer8 = Josh Cumbee, Afshin Salmani, Schmidt

| extra8 = AFSHeeN

| length8 = 4:13

| title9 = Could You Be Home

| writer9 = Schmidt, Denny White

| extra9 = Denny White

| length9 = 3:57

| title10 = That’s What Makes You Mine

| writer10 = Nate Caserta, Nick Hexum, Zack Hexum, Schmidt

| extra10 =

| length10 = 3:12

| title11 = Everything Has Changed

| writer11 = Josh Cumbee, Afshin Salmani, Schmidt

| extra11 = AFSHeeN

| length11 = 3:19

| total_length = 36:36

}}

{{track listing

| headline = Deluxe edition

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title12 = One Track Mind

| writer12 = Collin Masiel, Michael Maughan, Schmidt

| extra12 = PWER, Schmidt

| length12 = 3:19

| title13 = Not Alone

| writer13 = Deina Andreou, John Flanagan, Sean Hamilton, Schmidt

| extra13 = Sean Hamilton

| length13 = 4:20

| title14 = Love Defined

| writer14 = Sean Hamilton, Schmidt, Bryce Soderberg, Alex Teamer

| extra14 =

| length14 = 3:23

| title15 = Parallel

| note15 = Mack & Jetset Vega Remix

| writer15 = Gad, Schmidt

| extra15 = Gad

| length15 = 5:48

| title16 = Could You Be Home

| note16 = Ras Remix

| writer16 = Schmidt, Denny White

| extra16 = Denny White

| length16 = 3:34

| total_length = 57:38

}}

Credits for Happy Mistakes adapted from AllMusic and album's liner notes.{{cite AV media notes|title=Happy Mistakes|others=Heffron Drive|year=2014|type=booklet|publisher=TOLBooth Records|id=}}

Heffron Drive

• Kendall Schmidt – vocals, rhythm guitar, bass
• Dustin Belt – lead guitar

Production

• Kendall Schmidt – A&R, composer, executive producer, producer
• Dustin Belt – composer, producer
• Toby Gad – composer, producer
• Afshin Salmani – composer, producer
• Steve Solomon – composer, producer
• Denny White – composer, producer
• Non Fiction – composer, producer
• Cameron Walker-Wright – composer, producer
• Josh Cumbee – composer
• Michael Cammarata – executive producer, management
• Nate Caserta – composer
• Nick Hexum – composer
• Zack Hexum – composer

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{{Authority control}}

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Category:2014 debut albums

Category:Heffron Drive albums

Category:Self-released albums