Super Furry Animals
Radiator CD
Flydaddy. Fly034.
by Keith McLachlan.
December 28, 1997.
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You know how on most debut albums
most loathsomely average bands sorta crank out twelve versions of the hit
single that got them their fat record deal. And you know how miserable
this makes you feel? Cause you had them pinned as the great white hopes
of this generation and really they just happened to stumble on a opportune
arrangement of chords and some sort of divine intervention prevented the
lyrics from seeming so banal the first time around. Those bands are
weenies, sure enough, and even more certain is the fact that Super Furry
Animals are not one of those bands.
Last year's freakazoid debut 'Fuzzy Logic' was so brimming with madness and brilliant pop ideas that it seemed that any minute the whole thing would collapse in on itself from the gravity of it all. But it didn't. And well the sequel arrives just a little over a year later and it is even better. Yes, better! And different, the spaces that were so aware on the debut have disappeared, filled in with the crazy doodlings of a madman name Cian armed with a whole boatload of electronic noises and gizmoramas.
Gruff is a lyricist with no equal in the stream of consciousness made topical realm of storytelling, so we get tunes about goat-eating bats, Einstein's parents, being an outcast and the eternal human bond of screaming. The album opens with the loveliest bit of furrydelica yet, an instrumental called 'Furryvision' and then seamlessly moves through the remainder beginning with 'the Placid Casual' which displays their new adeptness at multi-segmented songs with weird tempo changes and odd vocal interjections with a variety of vocal treatments. The two fabulous singles are here as well.
The whole affair is a bit more manic than the debut record and only recedes when the last three songs reveal themselves to be plaintive pastoral numbers of reflection. Gruff turns social commentator in his inimitable style 'there are people who think and people who don't and the ones who don't are the ones who have the most' and the effect is mesmerizing. One word-fabulous!
Super Furry Animals
Rings Around The World CD
Beggars Banquet.
by Keith Mclachlan.
August 2, 2001.
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When reading the lyrics to the songs on this album I
get this sinking sensation that Gruff SFA was likely
either one of the people burning Genoa to the ground
or intensely sympathetic to the cause. Strange bit
that, how are these xenophobes helping the poor by
keeping any investment out of their countries?
Nothing wrong with self-preservation mind just a bit
of honesty over top of the lame slogans might be nice.
But what do I know? SFA were never overtly political
or socially conscious before but now as they age they
seem to have something to say. Granted the mealy
mouthed soft-sell of their positions is not too
grating, and surprisingly Gruff turns quite
pro-capital punishment on 'No Sympathy' which is a bit
of a hopeful yet wayward ballad where the noodlings
aren't as swell as in the past like on say "mountain
People' from Radiator. In fact subtract the ballads
and this is an amazing album, keep them in however and
it is simply reverts to being a great one. To parrot
the usual line SFA have hoarded all of the ideas in
pop music and kept them in their cave and here they
let loose a few new ones with their weirdo takes on
Curtis Mayfield ('Juxtaposed for U'), techno
country ('Run Christian Run!') though didn't Alabama 3
already do that quite craply?, Paul Mccartney
collaborations (see Linda's cookbook for reference) and
Prog Rawk (an old charge levelled this time against the
previously mentioned 'No Sympathy'). And sticking
with Christian, it is a tired old bit about
Christianity killing more people over history than all
of the worst dictators ever. Not true really,
communism (five year plans, cultural revolution,
ceaucescu, honneker, etc...) has it beaten pretty
handily. Oh but that wasn't really communism as my
pal Dr Trianofsky might say it was state socialism.
Ugh. 'Capitalism might not be the best system
imaginable but it is the best system possible.'
Irving Kristol said this some time long ago, or maybe
not so long ago, Gruff would not agree and that is ok.
I'm clueless but he is gifted, he makes fantastic pop
songs and his mate Cian makes fantastic noises and
when they combine their efforts they make joyously
grand pop records. I really am having difficulty
coming up with evidence to express my discontent over
this record but it all seems to have been parsed from
my head as I type ramblings that certainly do not
resemble disenchantment. I listened to the album 4
times in a row and did not grow tired of it "sidewalk
Serfer Girl' and the title track are some of the best
SFA tunes yet and so Beach Boys I've got a rash
between my legs. So yeah, it's great, I'm
predictable.
Sushi
"Thanks Very Much" CD-EP
Swingset. Swingset 007.
by Keith McLachlan.
March 22, 1999.
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Sushi are super smart people you know for surely they recognize the
fact, even if it was probably a few days after my revelation, that
Pram will soon rule the known world and that their surest ticket to
the top was to make a record where Pram's influence would be
unmistakable. And, funny enough, they have done exactly that but
whether it propels them to the sort of global superstardom that Pram
has, well Pram only possesses such stature in my mind, well that
depends on whether they adopt Pram's attitude and completely throw off
the shackles of worry about being a bit too out there and trust the
kids to love their idiosyncracies for this ep still treads a rather
trad line meaning it will surely be lapped up by the pop kids
everywhere, if not adored, and while Pram is the easiest reference to
ascertain I also hear reminders of stuff like Pam Berry or even
Gasp!!! Velocity Girl. Tinkly keyboards are nice, God knows I love
them, but if you still cling to the the idea that singing about lovey
dovey boyfriends and girlfriends is better than poems about
transparent dinosaurs or astronauts well then you have only been
teasingly spoonfed the true path of enlightenment and you know perhaps
Sushi need to listen to their copy of 'North Pole Radio Station' a
few more times before they fully understand the very difficult concept
of being weird. This all being said I will announce that I am so
anxious to hear their evolution unfold in front of my ears and I
eagerly anticipate all future Sushi releases with unbridled enthusiasm
cause this ep is super special and wonderful.
Sweet William
"Dutch Mother" 7" vinyl
Matinee. Matinee 001.
by James Feagin.
August 9, 1998.
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Objectively speaking, this is the
best record I have heard in the past two years. Perhaps it is the
Morrissey-esque vocals, the subtle, yet infectious electronic beats. The
predecessor to the equally essential "Ambiguous" cd-ep on Twee Kitten,
"Dutch Mother" is a shining moment in a pop world filled with monotonous
records. Upon first listen, the title-track reminds me of the Smiths "This
Charming Man" in both lyrical and songwriting capacities.
There is plenty of jangle and hum n' strum guitar on this record, a direct Johnny Marr influence is easily heard. "A Map of the World" sweetly explores the world of a young recluse who has had their heart broken. While "I Left Mine Behind" is the perfect record for the Sarah Records aficionado. Lyrically brilliant, ingeniously orchestrated, and masterfully performed. Adelaide, Australia's Sweet William is headed towards a promising future. Heading in a direction that will lead them to be compared with OZ's other countless legends. The Smiths, Field Mice, Sugargliders- Sweet William draws on all of these sources to create a record that will stand the test of time. A magnificent moment that will hopefully only spell the beginning of James Tassos' blooming pop empire, Matinee Records.
the Swirlies
The Yes Girls CD
Pehr. pehr010.
by Keith Mclachlan.
May 27, 2000.
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This is the record that people who actually like the current
incarnation of Kleenex Girl wonder should probably buy. Graham
Smith is now in the position of making Robert Pollard seem
focused with his recent records filled with lousy indie rawk that
are light years from the interesting mix of archaic technology
and teen ideas that filled his first album. Damon from the
Swirlies is an interesting case, light years more talented than
GS but always with one eye looking back over his shoulder for the
brigades of folks who claim the Swirlies have made one album in
their career and it was called 'Isn't Anything.' He probably has
both of his eyes closed at this point for this album is nothing
like Swirlies albums of the past and it suffers for it. You can't
really expect much from home recorded tracks, but then why would
they bother releasing it? But even with those dim expectations
this is consistently awful.
It tries hard to approach the geek cool of 'The Freed Weed' but Damon needs a wall of sound to envelop his monotonous croon in order to keep from sounding like a skinny elbowed bore. It is filled with all of the sample programs that rufus the dog sang along to on the earliest SK-1 commercials and muffled vocals and it never approaches a pace that might keep your eyelids fit.
Sometimes pop songs are like concrete and the essential underlying tune acts as an aggregate and if it is strong enough rises to the surface to display itself as a pockmarked stepsister, but the songs here are just a handful of dust that keep themsleves well hidden from even the most discerning ear. So in conclusion, a complete waste of time, unless of course you are hopeless and you dig 'PonyOak.'
Syrup USA
All Over The Land CD
Flydaddy.
by Keith McLachlan.
December 28, 1997.
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This is the record for all the kid sisters of Swirlies fans everywhere.
That is not necessarily a bad thing mind you. This is the debut lp of
Seana Swirlies' groovy new band. The fuzz is toned done, the
keyboards (all stereolabby-like) are turned up and her not so strong
voice is front and center.
It sounds a little like Velocity Girl but not as crappy and with those prominent keyboards - well, that comparison is not so accurate. Maybe as far as description of the sound, however it is more accurate concerning the unfulfilled expectations.
The whole record is lacking a bit in what one might consider fruitful sustenance as each track kinda reminds you of the one before. It is nice but it is obvious Damon was the talented one in the Swirlies as last year's Swirlies opus 'They spent their....' is ten times the record this one is. But of course this is not a bad record, it is loads of fun really, just that well it isn't gonna make anyone's best of lists.