MWNG

So Super Furry Animals have conquered psychadelia, conquered art rock and conquered experimentalism. Where to go next? Time to piss off the record company and the pop fans by releasing an album completely in Welsh! The Record Company highly disagreed with this move and I think they even dropped the band. To retaliate, SFA set up their own Placid Casual label and released a truely incredible album.

"Mwng" is fairly low budget so they weren't able to use all the computerized effects that helped build up "Guerrilla". Instead they went for a much more organic approach, using low budget recording equipment and just sticking to their basic instruments. God must have showed them magic as this album sounds just as crisp in terms of production as the rest of their albums and the music is top notch.

"Drygioni" is a superb yet unstereotypical rocker that is driven by some great drum work. This is a really short opener, even though you cant understand a word Gruff is saying it is still an addictive track and somehow manages to have a pop appeal (although no singles were taken from this album except a radio promo of "Ysbeidiau Heulog"). Track 2 has some amazing instrument work that brings out quite an uplifting side to an overall damp and sad album (not in a bad musical sense). Track 2 and 3 show off some of the most beautiful works the band has written, going back to their Out Spaced lengthier roots. You get a real feel of how well each band member can get the best out of any instrument they use.

Although you can't follow along with the lyrics unless you speak Welsh, it is the different tones in Gruff Rhys' voice that make the vocals on this album work. If the song is sad and gloomy then so are the vocals. If a song is uplifting and cheerful then the vocals will too reflect that mood. Gruff starts to use his voice more as an instrument rather than to portray poetry on this album and it works wonders.

"Dacw Hi" is a great uplifter that in turn shows off the power of each instrument, this albums strongest point. You get quite a feel of the band using the studio to it's advantage like back on "Radiator" as the use of far away recording and up close to the mic is used which gives off a trippy effect. "Mwng" is arguably the trippiest album as it is so organic and hard to understand.

"Ysbeidiau Heulog" is a great psychadelic track that is definetly the best produced track and sounds more high budget. Gruff's tone in his voice provides a really effective chorus and weepy section towards the end. This song could have been a hit if it was released as a proper single and would have been great as it would have showed that you don't need to speak English in order to make a great tune. After all that is the whole reason the record company were not to keen on the idea of an all Welsh album.

"Y Teimlad" is a heartouching acoustic piece. Gruff's vocals again powering this track. It sounds like a much improved version of "Fire in My Heart" from the previous album. "Sarn Helen" and the last track are both epics in sound, composition structure and length and it is a brilliant way to close such a good album.

Super Furry Animals manage to keep progressing their sound and creating amazing albums that push their songwriting even furthur each time. This is album takes a few spins to really "get" but once you do it is very rewarding. Highly recommended.

Apparently, this is the album where SFA managed to really let flow their hair, return to their Welsh roots. But as far as I am concerned this album is a great step backwards to their earlier album, but this has nothing to do with Welsh lyrics, but with the shoddy production and muddy sound. Not that SFA was ever to my ears any progressive, but their psych sound had caused my ears to perk up when their stuff was played over the airwaves on alternatives radio programmes. So by the tilme I finally decided to investigate a bit deeper this group, this was the album that was around the bend. All of a sudden, I could not see what had caused me to notice them anymore. Sure there was still the usual slight 60's references, but it sounded all so hollow to me.

Not that the music is for much an analysis, but this is probably the type of album that should be discovered after most of their other albums, so the music on this album might have a chance at better reception from the listener. Typically the kind of album that needs at least two dozens of spins to finally unravel its keys to their musical "paradise". Of course by the third airing, I have lost interest long ago. Psych rock fans might actually enjoy the multiple references and clichés of the genre.

This album is rather impenetrable (it was obviously their goal) as the Welsh lyrics makes this album almost something of an inside joke, with the booklet kept to a ridiculous minimalism as even the edge of the Cd were also completely blank. Nothing we have not seen with Post Rock groups, but at least those are at least intriguing and mysterious in their musical props. SFA is neither. This album's music is close to obtuse, excluding the proghead from real interest.

An inside joke, uh? Do not get it and lost nothing at it since I rented the CD from the library back then. Did not appreciate the joke and they will probably not appreciate my rating, and will probably take it for a bad joke.

The band is well known for his sense of humour and some irresistible musical strokes of inspiration. To be sure that only a very limited number of people would grab their thought, they decided to sing in Welsh this time! Big deal, really?

Several tracks are purely experimental and of little value to my ears (the first two ones). The almost human " Y Gwyneb Iau" sounds almost as a highlight. A nice groove and a dark atmosphere which is welcome. But, actually, there are some fine pop tunes on this album ("Dacw Hi"). Simplistic but effective.

I have already said that most of the song from this band seemed to come out from another age: the same observation applies to "Nythod Cacwn" which seems to be taken out the early psychedelic Floydean period. Another good track after all.

Due to their Welsh singing, one could only imagine that the lyrics from "Ysbeidiau Heulog" should be funny. But that's only a guess which is based on the joyful atmosphere.

The long closing song " Gwreiddiau Dwfn , Mawrth Oer Ar Y Blaned Neifion" (ouch!!!) sounds very sad, almost desperate.

I can't be consider as a huge of the band, but I don't think that this album is any worse than its two predecessors. Experimental pop music probably tinted with an even more hermetic humour than ever before "thanks" to these Welsh lyrics.

Two stars.