Happen Happened is pure sixties pop-punk. The songs on the original album run the gamut from psychadelic to punk. The title track and Going Home are by far the best tracks, both blending high energy punk like rhthym with poppy lyrics and melodic harmonies. Nothing here is that complex, but the simplicity of the album adds to a certain rough-edged charm that makes you want to play it over and over and over.
Baroque Hoedown is miles beyond the sound of Happen Happened. The addition of keyboards drives the album into rich new territory, giving the songs more depth. Still blending the sixities psych sound against a driving garage punk background, The Three O'Clcok give out five terrific pieces of mod music for the 80s. The album shows the group beginning to really refine what would become their trademark sound on later recordings. With a name like With A Cantaloupe Girlfriend, a song can only provide total listening enjoyment. I Go Wild is great mod song that pulls each bandmember's strengths into a sound that should have garnered the group a great deal more attention than they received. Looking back, the album is a perfect bridge between the raw punk-pop of the Salvation Army and the polished, high-minded sound of Three 0'Clock at their mod best.
sixteen tambourines showcased the Three O'Clock's maturity into a tight, professional foursome that could grasp a quirky pop song and turn it into a bit of musical poetry. Michael Quercio's lilting vocals were beautifully showcased by Mike Mariano's keyboards. The two of them gave the Three O'Clock a very distinctive sound that set them apart from other indie bands of the time. Benair's solid drumming, and the seemingly magic guitar of Gutierrez added just the right depth. Occassional glimpses of their garage punk past shine through on several tracks, but by far this album solidly places the Three O'Clock in the ranks of sixties mod-pop bands.