Singer/songwriter Craig Minowa must be eternally thankful for his ability to craft a solid rock opera the likes of Advice From The Happy Hippopotamus. Like many influential musicians before him, he has found an outlet through which to confront and explore emotional instability; the record reflects a chaotic backdrop that is sometimes heartrending, but nothing short of transcendent, even when the production overwhelms the (ample) emotion.

Minowa lost his son in the middle of the night in February of 2002. Shortly thereafter, he and his wife split up, and even more recently he was diagnosed with a rare spinal nerve disease. Clearly, Minowa is no stranger to pain -- but thankfully, he continues to embrace life with a sound resolution.

It's a truly moving experience to hear an artist overcome misfortune and heartbreak. It's even more liberating to hear a band throw caution to the heavens and audaciously present themselves in a way that sounds both vital and cathartic, leaving listeners with a euphoria that's all-too-rare in modern rock. You'll wish you could physically hug Advice From The Happy Hippopotamus -- it consoles with the familiarity of an old friend. It offers dark moments that will make your spine tingle, and lighter moments that will make your heart soar -- especially when there's a solid buildup to liberation, as in the college-radio-ready "What Comes At The End". On the opposite end of the sonic spectrum, there's the gorgeously calm "Training Wheels", reminiscent of Sunny Day Real Estate's more subdued moments.

If Minowa and his band have one fault, it's their tendency to be a little overzealous in their execution. Granted, enthusiastic bands often revel in their concepts, happily making room for filler material rather than leaving a few of the CD's 79 minutes blank. But despite the achingly beautiful and cataclysmic violins, is a spoken-word detour like "Light At The End Of The Tunnel?" really necessary? With some judicious editing, the record could be a masterpiece, but as it stands, even the weaker tracks have the potential to turn gray skies back to blue. Advice From The Happy Hippopotamus is as unpredictable, joyous, and strange as life itself --which makes it easy to embrace.