Gruff Rhys - Candylion

The Very Best Of Neil Diamond' would have been the best single release() from this album, IMO.

― Toni Braxton-Hicks (Turrican), Thursday, February 27, 2014

still a great song. like a spacey outtake that plays through a post-apocalyptic movie.

If you haven't listened to Cian Ciaran's Outside In, I highly recommend it, especially if you enjoy Love Kraft. I know turrican disagrees, but I love the album.

Got quite a few friends who don't care for SFA to listen to and enjoy it, surprisingly.

I really like this lesser-known Gruff track from a concept album about something-or-other:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tgP2SIl7A8

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51to4iY52-L._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

American Interior is a psychedelic historical travelogue from Welsh pop legend Gruff Rhys. In 1792, John Evans, a twenty-two-year-old farmhand from Snowdonia, Wales, travelled to America to discover whether there was indeed, as widely believed, a tribe of Welsh-speaking native Americans still walking the great plains. In 2012, Gruff Rhys set out on an 'investigative concert tour' in the footsteps of John Evans, with concerts in New Orleans, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, St Louis, North Dakota and more. American Interior is the story of these journeys. It is also an exploration of how wild fantasies interact with hard history and how myth-making can inspire humans to partake in crazy, vain pursuits of glory, including exploration, war and the creative arts. Gruff Rhys is known around the world for his work as a solo artist as well as singer and songwriter with Super Furry Animals and Neon Neon, and for his collaborations with Gorillaz, Dangermouse, Sparklehorse, Mogwai and Simian Mobile Disco amongst others. The latest album by Neon Neon, Praxis Makes Perfect, based on the life of radical Italian publisher Giangiacomo Feltrinelli, was recently performed as an immersive live concert with National Theatre Wales.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHV_6H2hQnM

Coming soon on American Interior - the album! RT @AndyVotel I've got a new collab with @gruffingtonpost

I hope it's as good as "Shark Ridden Waters"!

Gruff Rhys is known around the world for his work as a solo artist
Gruff Rhys is known around the world for his work as a solo artist
Gruff Rhys is known around the world for his work as a solo artist
Gruff Rhys is known around the world for his work as a solo artist
Gruff Rhys is known around the world for his work as a solo artist

Ha, I just moved to America (Minnesota) from the UK and found a second hand copy of Hotel Shampoo on vinyl the other day. I had to fight off other people for it as he's just so well known here.

I understand that, yes, he is promoting a solo product and that yes, this is the press release for said solo product. But man, that seems like an odd bit of re-positioning right there. His solo work is clearly not what he's most known for, "around the world" or otherwise. The impression is given that his solo work is now his main priority and that SFA are either something he'd going to do on the side or he considers to be a memory.

Like, I don't recall seeing anything like that in the press releases for Yr Atal Genhedlaeth, Candylion or Hotel Shampoo... usually the line was "Super Furry Animals singer Gruff Rhys" or something along those lines. Basically, I think he's establishing himself as a solo artist first and foremost and the writing is on the wall for SFA. That's if SFA haven't broken up already, of course.

Honestly, I don't think he has very much of a following as a solo artist. I think he does okay touring the UK, but he's practically nobody over here in the US. SFA were hardly a phenomenon while they toured our shores, and I bet a handful of concert attendees even knew the frontman's name.

I get what they're trying to do. His current label seems overly optimistic in promoting all their artists. (I follow them on Twitter)

I also frequently see articles that call him the erstwhile/former SFA frontman, and no one seems to be in a rush to correct that bit of misinformation. Could it be true?

http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2014/03/super_furry_ani_12.html

Seen a couple good reviews of the film, which premiered yesterday.

Here's one: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/american-interior-sxsw-review-687639

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMybiPjykD0

Official video.

Probably just pulled footage from the film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wK1Hlblnzls

Now that Kliph has been fired from the Flaming Lips, it will be interesting to see if he collaborates more with Gruff...

Why don't my YouTube links ever embed? I hate that!

http://ffwcyeahgruffrhys.tumblr.com/post/82262999105/bbc-radio-cymru-lisa-gwilym-09-04-2014

3 songs on the radio. I think they're great, but what I think doesn't matter. One of them is an Andy Votel collaboration. The one with the kids chanting throughout.

Why don't my YouTube links ever embed? I hate that!

you have to drop the "s" from https link to embed.

thanks bee!

The whole album is streaming in video form over here: http://www.qthemusic.com/2263/listen-to-gruff-rhys-album-american-interior-in-full/

I love it, but you knew I'd say that.

I love the opening of 'American Exterior/American Interior' and I quite like 'The Last Conquistador', but that's about it really. Found the rest to be a bit on the boring side, or, in the case of '100 Unread Messages'/'The Whether (Or Not)' incredibly cheesy. But I don't like that kinda corny truck-drivin' bullshit music anyway.

I will say that it's more engaging than Damon Albarn's recent borefest, though.

and it's better than the last Neon Neon album.

I thought it was quite lovely. I always think I don't need another album by him but it turns out I do.

I agree about the Damon and Neon Neon albums.

I only listened once so I don't spoil the whole thing, but I really enjoyed the last couple tracks. The pedal steel was a nice touch and recalls some of my favorite latter day SFA moments. The drumming is also more pronounced than usual. They definitely didn't waste Kliph.

for those who're into this kind of thing, gruff is doing a reddit ama today: http://www.reddit.com/r/Music/comments/24yaa7/im_welsh_musician_gruff_rhys_my_new_album/

]thegreenman42 2 points 5 days ago*
Firstly thanks for a great gig in Pentyrch. The chapel was very atmospheric. I could imagine John Evans in a similar setting trying to convince the locals to up sticks to the New World back in the 1790's
My Questions: another of my musical heroes is Euros Childs. You and him seem to be having an equally creative and productive time. Is there any chance of a collaboration of any kind in the future?
Oh and as an Archaeologist can I thank you for getting some archaeology into a song (The court of King Arthur). There's not enougth archaeology in music.
permalinksavereportgive goldreply

GruffRhysVerified 2 points 5 days ago
Euros Childs is a genius and one of my favourite recording artists of all time! We've probably sung together when drunk or something - thats good enough for me - I think I fell off my chair.

I like that he sounds like he has no desire to do that. I think it's a bad idea as well.

lol Madoc

i was surprised pitchfork gave it an 8.0, but they've always been pretty fair to sfa

Hapus i gyhoeddi bod fy albym newydd ‘Babelsberg’ yn cael ei rhyddhau ar @roughtraderecords ar Fehefin 8ed! Rhag-archebwch // I am happy to announce that my new album ‘Babelsberg’ will be released on @roughtraderecords on 8th June! Pre-order here https://t.co/KsQwbZG65c pic.twitter.com/XWM4xhmMqC

— Gruff Rhys (@gruffingtonpost) April 10, 2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Y6VLjIKwqQ

very Lee Hazlewood.

Good to see this total ear worm make it on to an album

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R_6YB53Wp0

The limited edition record sleeve is insane. Not sure if it's a good insane or if I'd buy it, but it's insane:

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/cdn.beggars.com/store_images/gruff_dlx2.jpg

Doesn't fold. Just a long-ass sleeve.

He's touring this with a 72-piece orchestra.

If only SFA could've ever done that.

THIS AUTUMN NOW WAVE IS 10 YEARS OLD.
TO CELEBRATE WE’LL BE ANNOUNCING 10 SPECIAL SHOWS. HERE’S THE FIRST. TICKETS ON SALE 20th APRIL. pic.twitter.com/Y2XKleTz4c

— NOW WAVE (@nowwave) April 11, 2018

Another new one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L09PSR7uQtU

More dates:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dc1NDz-X0AAEl3f.jpg:large

Kinda blah, tbh.

Oh well.

Limited Edition Heart is actually pretty great.

Album's getting "Gruff's best album ever" in multiple reviews. I guess the critics are going all in on Gruff this time. I can't wait to hear the album. Anyone here get a chance to listen yet?

Looking forward to the solo show out here in October. Caught SFA a few times over the years but this'll be the first with just him.

He’s extremely good when he does his solo shows. I wouldn’t rank any of his albums ahead of an SFA album, but I’d probably put any Gruff solo show I’ve seen ahead of SFA. He’s really funny and the way he pieces his songs together is great. I wonder if he’ll be with a band or totally solo. He’s great in either format.

I’m really psyched to hear this. “limited edition heart” has grown on me tremendously and I’d love to figure out what all the lines are anagrams for.

Unfortunately, my 2-year-old has decided “Bing Bong” is his favorite song of all time and I now listen to it at least three times a day, so I’m growing a little bit of enmity for SFA lately. Still think it’s a pretty decent song, though, but not something you want to listen to a thousand times.

I'm still incredibly hyped to hear this. The pre-released tracks are both excellent, and the live rendition of 'Negative Vibes' is great and one of his biggest ear worms in a while. The reviews keep coming in strong, and suggest it's his best album yet. Man oh man, two or three more days.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5rZ8faL1cM

I'm totally in for a good Gruff album.

I know everyone's dying to hear my opinion on this one. It's one of the most heavily orchestrated, string-laden pop albums I've ever heard. Kind of makes it hard to get a feel for the songs. 'Negative Vibes' is one of the best Gruff songs I've heard in years, and I adore the two singles.

More thoughts to come.

I heard it a couple of times at work yesterday, there were definitely a few nice moments but overall it sounded a bit bland to me. I'll try again today. American Interior took a while to grow on me.

One thing I like a lot about it is he is singing in lower and higher register than he usually does.

“Mel Gibson howls with rage, the worst Hamlet of his age.”

Might be the best Gruff lyric yet.

But "does Will Smith lie, does he ever cave in and cry?" comes to mind and maybe not.

So no one is listening to this?

After living with it for a few days, I’ve decided “The Club” is almost as unpleasant as anything on the Tony Da Gators album. Otherwise, this is one of Gruff’s best sets of songs in years. “Frontier Man” and “Limited Edition Heart” sound better every time I hear them. “Selfies in the Sunset” is a great duet, with incredible lyrics.

Well done, Gruff. Apparently they scrapped a song from his Candylion show but recorded the arrangement, so I look forward to taking out The Club and swapping songs.

The new album is his best one since Hotel Shampoo, but the highlights of American Interior are stronger than anything on Babelsberg. It's okay - listenable, but good rather than great, and not quite up there with his best stuff.

'Negative Vibes' sounds like an exercise in trying to write a song for Coldplay, but getting it slightly wrong.

I was living in San Francisco at that time. I remember they closed with "The Man Don't Give a Fuck," my mind was blown. They turned into my favorite band at that time.

Oops missed this thread. I like his new tuneful pop-rock album Sadness Sets Me Free. I saw SFA once in Baltimore. Gruff is in DC tonight

Not sure if that meant you are in DC? If you go please give a review of the show, can really cement my choice.

Yes saw him and his band do a strong hour and half Washington DC gig tonight. Lots of songs from new album and they seemed more energetic and faster tempoed live. A bit more psychedelic tinges too. He had a nice falsetto on a few songs. The keyboardist was really good. The bassist switched between acoustic bass and electric bass. At times his goofy sense of humor was on display. He held up signs with messages for the audience— “wild abandon “ and many others. They had moving company like shirts on but he said they were lugging emotional baggage. He stopped a song or 2 and started chatting about something and then resumed the songs. Thankfully he didn’t overdo these things. Much of the time he seemed to be deeply concentrating on his singing and guitar playing.

I don’t know his whole catalogue that well but I think the setlist was similar to what he played in the March 5 Paris show listed on setlist

https://www.setlist.fm/setlists/gruff-rhys-53d6ef51.html

I think SFA’s got way better songs, but Gruff’s a way better performer with his solo material than he was with SFA. SFA generally disappointed me as a live band.

I scored tickets for $5

Wow! Enjoy the show