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Super Furry Animals 'Hey Venus!'

added 28 August 2007 at 10.39

Now here’s a quandary: over the course of eleven years and seven original studio albums, Super Furry Animals have proved to be one of our most durable and innovative bands.

Unlike so many of their mid-90s contemporaries who have remained stuck in creative cul-de-sac or simply fallen off the cultural radar, the Welsh quintet have continued to scale the dizzying heights of inventiveness and imagination with an ease and haste that borders on the indecent. So, why then – for the first time in their career - does 'Hey Venus!' feel so underwhelming?

First things first: this isn’t a bad album by any measure. Indeed, it stands head and shoulders over many of the releases that have this year been touted as works of greatness but given the standard that Super Furry Animals have set themselves  - see their entire back catalogue for evidence – 'Hey Venus!' falls slightly short. And therein lies our answer.

Having taken us on magical, psychedelic journeys that have offered us stunning views of panoramic vistas, the level nature of their latest offering feels like a conventional excursion through the lowlands of Benelux. In terms of painting from a sonic palette, Super Furry Animals apply steady brush strokes to their canvas throughout. Gone are the forays into techno’s wigged out territories and the guerrilla raids on other genres and in their place is a guitar-driven consistency. 

The glam stomp of 'Runaway' and 'The Gift That Keeps Giving’s' languid pop finds the band taking things easy. While lesser talents would struggle to achieve a fraction of what’s delivered here – the mastery of melody and sheer joy of what’s on offer – Super Furry Animals have taken their foot off the gas and switched to cruise control.

But this is still a trip worth taking. The magnificent grandeur that is 'Show Your Hand' is one of the year’s most delicious musical moments, infused as it is a perfect pop sensibility and the kind of key change that wins the Eurovision Song Contest while the double-whammy of 'Carbon Dating' and 'Suckers' evoke the glorious 60s summers of the 'French Riviera' as they induce John Barry’s more atmospheric moments.

Those coming to Super Furry Animals for the first time will discover, through 'Hey Venus!', a gateway to an enchanted, mind-expanding world that, once experienced, will never be forgotten. For everyone else, this is an opportunity to take a break and welcome aboard the newcomers before the multi-faceted excursion recommences.  

Super Furry Animals ‘Hey Venus!’ (Rough Trade) Released August 27th 2007

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