Jackson Free Press

New Orleans-based The Happy Talk Band sings about all sorts of things, but mostly they sing happy love songs. The band's style shifts from folk to country to rock to punk. The lyrics cover space monkeys, bank robbers, aliens, Romanian junkies, anesthesiologists, murderers, veterans of war, alcoholic bike riders, scary giants, suicides, muggers, strippers and Jesus. You could say it's stuff that makes them happy.

The band's music is all over the place, just like the traveling band, but The Happy Talk Band is at the Ole Tavern on George Street in Jackson Nov. 19. Members are Luke Spurr Allen, Alex McMurray, Bailey Smith, Steve Calandra, Mike Andrepont, Casey McAllister and Helen Gillet.

Formed in 2001, the band won two Big Easy Awards from Gambit, a New Orleans alternative weekly publication, for best roots rock in 2007 and 2008.

In a self-deprecating quip on the band's website, the band says the members didn't let their awards go to their heads, "mostly because they're not entirely sure what ‘roots rock' is."

If you want to investigate this to get the root of their overall style, listen to the band's work. Happy Talk has released three full-length recordings: "Total Death Benefit" (2004), "There There" (2007) and "Starve A Fever" (2010).

The Happy Talk Band performs Nov. 19 at Ole Tavern on George Street (416 George St., 601-960-2700). To find out more about the band, visit http://www.happytalkband.com.

The Happy Talk Band plays Nov. 19 at Ole Tavern Grocery.