Super Furry Animals : S/D

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.

They're not "on vocals." They're doing backing vocals or duets or whatever. I think Cate Le Bon's on there again as well.

http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/cianciaran?utm_campaign=project5086&utm_medium=activity&utm_source=facebook

If the last one was a so called ‘love songs’ album then I guess this is my protest album. It’s about shouting up, exercising your voice, being pissed off and urging people not to take any more shit. The elite continue to exploit, politicians continue to misrepresent whilst the media continue to manipulate and bankers, well we all know what rhymes with bankers! It’s time we face the consequences of our actions, we are all responsible.

I’ve teamed up with PledgeMusic to offer you a number of exclusive, rare goodies and VIP experiences. No matter what you’re pledge, you will automatically receive a download of the album plus exclusive content direct from me. I will post videos, MP3s, blogs and possibly even a sneak preview of the album, so you can watch my progress and be part of the story. No money will be debited from your bank account until I reach 100% of my target.

A percentage of the proceeds will also go to https://www.coolearth.org a charity that works with local communities to secure rainforests at risk of being destroyed within the next 18 months.

I hope you can join me. There’s strength in numbers!

In Solidarity.

Cian Ciarán.

Went for the triple vinyl

how have i never posted in this thread before? i must have posted in all the other SFA threads.

here is the thread i thought was going to be this one: Super Furriest album poll

New Gulp single: https://soundcloud.com/e-l-k-1/sets/play-ep/likes

http://i.imgur.com/fp0C3Zj.jpg

SFA or Incubus?

Song samples: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00E4X4YV0?ie=UTF8&child=B00E4X52BG

WHOA! This actually rules!

I mean, when I found out that Cian was doing a louder, more guitar-based album, I really didn't have any idea that it was going to sound anything like '5c Cotton 40c Beef', so that's a huge, and VERY pleasant surprise.

'43,000,000' is like stoner rock, but done in a much, much less cartoonish way than SFA did it on 'Crazy Naked Girls'. I have a feeling I'm going to play the shit out of this record when it finally comes out. To say I'm preferring what I'm hearing here to Outside In is a huge understatement.

I think if anyone in the band will make SFA's sound vital again, it's Cian. He seems like he's at least pushing his own boundaries lately.

The thing that blows my mind about it (the first two tracks especially), is that Cian has given no prior indication that he has this sound in him (like, it was Bunf that was responsible for 'Crazy Naked Girls' etc.) - It's not the techno he does with the Acid Casuals and SFA, and it's not the lush orchestral ballad-type stuff he's been known for recently. It's a guitar based record from someone who isn't really noted in SFA for playing much guitar, and from what I've heard, he seems to be doing it a lot better than I ever thought he would.

From what I understand, he played all the instruments on the album as well. So if that's the case, he's a really good drummer as well!

He's already overshot his goal with over a month to go. I'm actually kind of shocked that many people know about who he is and care enough to pledge a significant amount of money. Maybe SFA should consider going this route when/if they release a new album. It's a pretty awesome way to interact with fans.

It'd be a great way of making enough cash to make a really mental record, too.

Am I crazy or is there always some kind of voice hidden deep within the bass on all of Cian's songs?

Yes. It's saying, "Gruuuuuuff suuuuuucks."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkngIDEk4Io

Just listen...

Start really hearing it around 2:10.

it's Cian's demonic twin

It's just a low octave voice that Cian uses to thicken his voice out.

http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1jismq/i_am_cian_ciaran_ama/

On his fav. SFA albums:

cianciaran [+19][S] 4 points 2 days ago (5|1)
mainstream ? hmm, not sure . lovekraft , or phantom power , or maybe fuzzylogic , could be radiator but then again I quite like mwng and rings too, the last one was good .....
what is this deep voice you speak of ?

No Guerrilla?? Love Kraft first to mind?? Scandalous.

Kind of a people-pleasing routine SFA tune, but still nice for a short single:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep676o0zaaA

http://rocksucker.co.uk/2013/08/interview-cian-ciaran.html?utm_campaign=twitter&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitter

He did this new one completely by himself, even the drums.

http://ampleplay.tumblr.com/post/47713427550/cian-ciaran-sleepless-nights-mpfree-a-free-mp3-when

Another one from an EP Ample Play is releasing soon.

The reviews are now coming in: http://rocksucker.co.uk/2013/08/review-cian-ciaran-they-are-nothing-without-us.html

Sounds positively delightful.

Oh man, they're really going for it with the Strangetown label. This definitely sounds like a Cian Ciaran production: https://soundcloud.com/strangetown-records/sets/baby-queens

One week left to pledge/release. He's at 236 pledges.

Cian's pledge ends tonight. You still have six hours left to get your pledge in if you want to listen to the album two weeks before it's released. MP3s go out tonight once it's over.

http://pledgemusic.com/projects/cianciaran

The Sewn Up EP: https://soundcloud.com/strangetown-records/sets/cian-ciaran-tanwu

Gulp vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2_-qGJoYKs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs8Ow0nyn2U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqAxig1WtlI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bCCnazr204&feature=youtu.be

Hello. Welcome to Super Furry Animals...MINUS Gruff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S41DTo8PzmY

https://driftrecords.com/products/das-koolies-its-all-about-the-dolphins-12

been discussed for a while on the all-caps SFA thread. You gotta be swift to scoop the SFA goon cru

I believe it!

I like it a lot. The rest of the thread didn't seem to. :)