Super Furry Animals : S/D

Overall though, I think SFA just seem uncomfortable playing live in general. One of the things they're afraid to try, IMHO, is to make the live shows more raw, stripped down, and lacking all the colors, characters, and video/tech hoopla. Everyone agrees that their best moments live were the songs they added to the set last minute without any video accompaniment.

I had a chance to see them a few weeks ago, but I turned it down, because I figured it would be the same thing... and, as Ned hinted, it was.

Maybe SFA should just pull an XTC.

End of fucking story.

Back to the crux of the thread, pick up Radiator and Rings Around the World, and you're in a world of musical joy.

And of course they palyed Mountain People and the Man Don't Give A Fuck. I'm not sure there's any of their albums I don't like. Definitly some less fine moments on all of them but basically all good. Possibly they'll release a Greatest hits album that will be really great.

Destroy: you don't want me to destroy you, surely?

Destroy:
I can't bring to mind a single rubbish SFA song. But FUZZY LOGIC
and RINGS AROUND THE WORLD must have a few.

Destroy: Actually, by now I don't think much of "The Man Don't Give a Fuck", although I'm sure it's a headbanger at live shows.

Absolutely one of the greatest bands of all time.

Destroy: absolutely nothing. Mr Snrub OTM.

Turn up early for Zabrinski as well, they're a good band and good guys.

One of the LPs has a seven inch single hidden in the gatefold front sleeve part. This contains a 'lock groove' the contents of which I don't know.

I first heard "The Man Don't Give a Fuck" live, actually. They had a video synced to it, too, with Lenin and Stalin inciting crowds. It FUCKING SMOKED.

What gets in the way of it being utterly perfect for me is that there's a certain jokiness about the songs which feels like it's trying to be both earnest *and* an escape clause, like if it's straight earnest then the post-Britpop crowd would become suspicious (this especially marrs the otherwise great "Wherever I Lay My Phone...". Which is a shame because I can sort of see the band gesturing towards A.R. Kane I territory at times, and the moments I love are those which just sound too emotional, cracking with big big feelings ("Turning Tide", "Northern Lites"). But the sonic largesse and the emotional largesse don't seem to co-incide all that often.

I have a feeling I might like Mwyng. What would people suggest?

"Mwng", of course, is their no-frills album. Almost none of the sonic largesse that's in abundance on their previous albums. Relative to their other work, it's always sounded flat to me. So much of the fun of SFA is hearing them effortlessly morph a ballad into a techno track.

I think you have also just described the Orb! (Simon Reynolds I think said something similar about them back in 1993.)

Ned would i like Radiator do you think?

Wow I'm so indie at the moment!

should write about some of it on skykicking

Also check out the newly released Am Byth by Ffa Coffi Pawb. Pre-SFA band with Gruff and Daf. Catchy tunes and well worth purchasing. It reveals that Gruff had an unnatural Jesus & Mary Chain obsession tho...

SEARCH: EVERYTHING
DESTROY: TMDGAF Live single

Generally, I would say "Radiator" is their best while "Guerilla" is their least good, but everything is certainly worth checking out.

Fuzzy Logic is their best, one of the greatest albums of the 90s IMHO. The least good is... well, Phantom Power. still good, but not that perfect as the earlier ones.

And I found it used randomly last night, so rah. Like Molly said upthread, MAJOR Jesus and Mary Chain jones, but I like what they did with it, and the various other touches into demi-psych and poppier harmonies are nice too.

Search: everything other than...
Destroy: Love Kraft. Really mediocre album that is the complete opposite of everything the press release states. I don't know what the hell they were doing.

Definitely search: Radiator, Guerrilla, Mwng, Phantom Power, Hey Venus! (all of these albums, to me, are pretty much perfect)

Of the rest...

FUZZY LOGIC (1996)
Destroy: 'Long Gone' (one of the worst album tracks the Super Furry Animals ever did, in my opinion), and 'Bad Behaviour' (which goes on far longer than it needs to), but definitely keep everything else. This is probably the one SFA album that is most 'tied down' to the time in which it was released. Listening to this album evokes a bygone age when Oasis were the biggest band in the UK, and Blur were still writing songs about houses in the country. However, it does have a certain naive energy to it that other SFA albums don't have.

RINGS AROUND THE WORLD (2001)
A very good effort, although I've always found this album to be an album of "two halves". The first half (up until 'A Touch Sensitive') features all of Super Furry Animals' usual pop goodness, whereas the second half is much more ponderous and takes time to grow. Aside from this, I can't fault it - but despite words like "ambition", "scope" and "invention" that get thrown around whenever this album is discussed, I simply can't bring myself to call it one of Super Furry Animals best. I personally wouldn't destroy anything from the record, but don't expect 'Shoot Doris Day' or 'No Sympathy' to rock your world right away.

LOVE KRAFT
Much, much better than people generally give it credit for - some of Super Furry Animals most accomplished music is on this record, and it's absolutely perfect for headphone listening. It's not an album that smacks one in the face with pop gems, rather a sonic experience that you have to let unfold at a leisurely pace. 'Lazer Beam' is the sole one that I would destroy from this album: definitely Super Furry Animals worst ever single, and certainly one of Super Furry Animals worst ever album tracks.

DARK DAYS/LIGHT YEARS
A disappointment. While Super Furry Animals have put out tracks developed from rehearsal room jams and grooves on B-sides over the years, here they attempt a whole album of them - and although this gives the album a 'concept', for want of a better term, it leads to a very hit and miss experience. For this album -

Search: Crazy Naked Girls, Inconvenience, The Very Best Of Neil Diamond, Helium Hearts, White Socks/Flip Flops, Pric.

Destroy: Mt. (they've done this kind of glam stomper before, and much better), Moped Eyes (a track developed out of a jokey studio jam, and one which should have remained on the cutting-room floor), Inaugural Trams (which tries to regain the "sense of fun" of Guerrilla but falls flat due to its forced subject matter and embarrassing German rap).

Of the rest: 'Where Do You Wanna Go?/Lliwiau Llachar' is SFA-by-numbers, and although enjoyable, isn't really essential either.

okay, so "Gathering Moss" has been stuck in my head for months (actually, just like 5-6 seconds of it), I've been dreaming about this damn song, and until just now I hadn't identified it. I heard the guy's voice so clearly in my head, but thought it was Ray Davies, or the Beatles, or who knows what. Never listened to Fuzzy Logic much so maybe that's why. But it's like, a burden has been lifted. I feel free again!

New Cian tune: http://soundcloud.com/strangetown-records/martina-franca

Really damn good.

A little bit of an improvement over the other Cian tracks I've heard, but still not my cup of tea. Sounds like a semi-cover of 'Heroes & Villains' as played by a Blackpool Pleasure Beach house band. Really fucking corny.

What made the sun go out in your heart?

You ever listen to the album, Jupiter 8? What'd you think? Dross, mediocre... a sleeper surprise?

Will they ever return?

Yes, but right now we have...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jBMAPx_Pdo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekSQ6ja1ZJc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG6Nj5Orl1w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJ0_8083brE

https://soundcloud.com/kdhx/sets/gruff-rhys-live-at-kdhx-8-12 (bunch of new songs for another documentary.

Hopefully none of this stuff keeps them occupied for too long... :\

New song by The Earth (Daf the drummer and Mark Roberts from Catatonia):

http://theearth.amazingtunes.com/tunes/162403

Sounds nothing like SFA--that's for sure.

Apparently we can expect a new Neon Neon record.

Oh yes.

Posted about it elsewhere...

http://vimeo.com/58047877

Asia Argento and Sabrina Salerno on vocals...Josh Klinghoffer & a couple of his cohorts backing Gruff & Boom Bip. Arguably more interesting concept than last time. No signs of hip hop this time. Could be a good one.

There's a small feature in the new Uncut. Cian basically says Das Koolies is the new band as far as he is concerned and not a side project. They have no plans to record a new SFA album and Das Koolies is their main focus. They apparently have enough material for three albums, of course they always say that kind of shit. Anyway, I guess you could read into the "new band" thing in a couple ways.

"It's not a side project, it's not a gap-filler, it's not something we're doing because we're waiting to do Super Furries things again. This is what we do now, basically."

Very much up for this album despite not caring for the single

How'd you like the B-side--if you've heard it?

Er, not blown away either but it's early days

Super Furry Ifans

https://superfurryanimals.bandcamp.com/track/of-no-fixed-identity

“Apathy only ruined me”!?

So, wait, have we never done an ILM artist poll of these guys?

Looks like the four lads, minus Gruff, are set to release some more stuff as Das Koolies. Posting some snips and snaps on their social media. I have to say I’m more interested in it than the new Gruff LP. Been a while since the other guys had their time to shine and I liked the first couple tracks well enough.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1349013979279758?mibextid=0NULKw&fs=e&s=TIeQ9V

https://www.qobuz.com/us-en/album/the-condemned-das-koolies/ouo028rq7ieea

Sounds like this is going to be a good antidote to Gruff’s sleepy balladeer persona.

So, wait, have we never done an ILM artist poll of these guys?

― Naive Teen Idol

I will do SFA in 2023. Was almost going to do it last year but opted to do the Police instead. I just feel like I'm going to need to prepare to do it properly.

i'm looking forward to that eventual poll

Awesome! Yeah, they’re a lot of work, done properly. There aren’t too many bands with as big of a catalogue we haven’t done at this point. Should be super exciting.

Also looking forward to that.

Me too. I've heard 80% of their output but been meaning to do a comprehensive listen through everything at some point

Fifth'd. They're one of my favourite bands ever

Well lads I lost interest many years back but you made me listen to Bad Behaviour this morning so fair play

They hit a wall when they recorded Love Kraft and Hey Venus!, but I’ll be damned if DD/LY isn’t one of their best albums as I view their great back catalog with loving eyes. It’s fun, a little shaggier, less rehearsed and clever. I so wish they’d known some folks really rated that album. I cherish it so much more than any Gruff Rhys solo album.

I’m ready for Das Koolies.

And as far as I’m concerned,Love Kraft has some righteously moody and endearing songs. They put a really odd, not very good single on it, a song based on a demo they’d been tossing around since the Guerrilla days- “Lazer Beam.”
Knock that and a couple other silly songs off the track list and the album’s got quite an interesting vibe.

Love Kraft and a Hey Venus! both have some really good tracks, but are very uneven and have some cringy moments. Agree that DD/LY is amazing and among their best.

DD/LY has Mt. on it, which might be one of the worst songs by an otherwise good band in the history of music, but the rest is good yes

right, I've actually skipped that one so often that I actually forgot it existed

“Mt.”‘isn’t great but Cian’s two post-SFA albums 12 people have listened to contain some pretty good, if not excellent, songs. I thought the non-Gruff guys were starting to write some pretty good songs in general, like “White Socks/Flip Flop.” Might’ve not carried the whole album, but always a treat when it comes on.

at the other end of the scale, guess which song invariably comes into my head every time I take a European city break, or go to Croydon

https://www.qobuz.com/nz-en/album/the-condemned-das-koolies/bzcatc2zmop5a

Looks like Das Koolies are finally a thing. New EP next month. Single tonight.

1.The Condemned 00:05:40
2. Dim Byd Mawr 00:07:22
3.You Killed My Robot 00:03:42
4. Grab a Slice 00:05:11

Might be the only person hyped as fuck for this right now, but I've been dying for some new SFA material since about 2009 so I'm going to take it.

I haven’t listened to it in a while, but I remember liking a lot of Lovekraft, especially the slower more introspective numbers. Didn’t like Lazerbeam or whatever and I always skipped Back On A Roll. Hated that song. l

Walk you home is a bop

"Back on a Roll" is a low light, but I generally really dig Bunf's songs. His voice is weird.

Love Kraft has great bookends and I do actually quite like Lazer Beam but much of the rest feels kind of bloated and anaemic. Hey Venus is anaemic without even being bloated, which is worse

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GL9Y2_4ztKM

As close to SFA as we’re going to get

SFA produced some great songs not fronted by Gruff. have yet to hear anything that rises above mediocrity from Das Koolies, though

I find some comfort hearing them pull out some of their tropes on that track, but it’s bubblegum at best. I dig it. Glad they didn’t pull a Boo Radleys and try to continue the facade of being the same band.