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Supergrass - Fin

Supergrass: Fin

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by Thomas Ferguson

It’s difficult to tell whether Supergrass’ shift into gentler soundwaves is a conscious attempt to counter their simian psych-punk associations laid to rest at ‘Supergrass Is 10’ or a simple sign that they’re drifting into calmer karma after a decade of sweating, gurning and playing like they’d written their back catalogue the day previously. But whilst Road To Rouen has some moments that aren’t so much acoustically whimsical as just plain bland, Fin is proof that they are still capable of stealing hearts, just not by particularly energetic means (or ways that would be frowned upon in the medical profession).

Guitars chime, gurgle and float away, beats crackle and flicker so as not to spoil the ambience around them, and Gaz’s vocals warble like we’re only hearing the echo. Indeed, the whole thing bobs and weaves so softly that it’s as if it’s being played through the ripples in a stream, a velveteen sonic swirl that both soothes and entrances. Or, if you like, the sound of Choppers rusting (so to speak). Whether they'll continue to create this sort of soft-rock remains to be seen of course, as such referencing of everything between Cocteau Twins and 10cc's 'I'm Not In Love' could presumably becoming tiresome rather quickly. But for now, in a collected and cooing sort of way, they seem to have pulled it off.

  • Supergrass 7 / 10

Road To Rouen

I think it's the best thing they've done since In It For The Money myself...X-Ray Album was mixed bag (Moving = genius/Jesus Came From Outta Space = shockingly bad) and Life On Other Planets made me wonder whether they actually gave a shit anymore...for all the slaggings that RtR has got, I think it's fantastic.So there.That's all.Really.


Yeah

i think by the time they made the x-ray album they were feeling half-arsed about it, even the lack of title and appaling artwork seemed to suggest that. i thought LOOP was on a par with I Should Coco though, i thought they'd regained their stride there, and yes there was the occasional embarrising moment ("Roger Moore"?) but it was a loveable an album as any of their others. Maybe i'm just one of those annoying people who's opposed to the thought of them, like, growing up...


Hmmm

I love Supergrass and the new album as a whole - but when bits of it are released as singles then there's a bit of me that wishes they'd lighten up a bit, simply because I love what they used to do.

I do love Life On Other Planets, though. Still think it's their best record.


I quite like Road to Rouen

But I don't understand their choice in singles. St. Petersburg was alright, but Low C? Fin? They are dull dull dull. Why not Kick In The Teeth and the title track? The latter was on a commercial fer crying out loud.





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