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SUPER FURRY ANIMALS

Prog Related • United Kingdom


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Super Furry Animals biography
SUPER FURRY ANIMALS are one of the few progressive rock bands to come out of Wales in the UK. The band formed in 1994 and consist of Gruff Rhys, Dafydd Ieuan, Cian Ciaran, Guto Pryce and Huw Bunford. SUPER FURRY ANIMALS have 7 studio albums and are similar to bands like PORCUPINE TREE, THE MOODY BLUES, PINK FLOYD and RADIOHEAD. They may also appeal to fans of weirder music such as FRANK ZAPPA or CAPTAIN BEEFHEART.

SUPER FURRY ANIMALS may be slightly mainstream, making it into the pop charts occasionally in the United Kingdom, but they actually use practically all the elements that make up progressive rock on all of their studio albums, making them perfectly qualified to be in the archives. They share similarities to bands like RADIOHEAD who are able to be a mainstream rock band but also being able to be classed as prog. SUPER FURRY ANIMALS make prog music on a much higher level, yet in a rather subtle way. Although their single releases may not hint to prog, the true progressive elements lie in their studio albums. The bands debut album, FUZZY LOGIC, showed a promising start and many hints to a progressive sound that they would later go on to develop even further. This album was undeniably influenced by the likes of PINK FLOYD (especially their early years) and CAPTAIN BEEFHEART, but if not it shows many similarities. This album is a full out psychadelic album, bringing the classic influences of sixties and seventies progressive psychadelia into the nineties and fusing it with space prog, techno and pop melodies. SUPER FURRY ANIMALS refuse to follow basic song structures and have many time signature changes, experimental uses of instruments, and even lengthy tunes. Their latest single "The Man Don't Give a F*** (Live from Hammersmith Apollo)" is a 22 minute journey of progressive psychadelic/space rock fused with many different influences. Everytime they release a new album it has more and more progressive qualities. The albums are almost concept albums, especially RADIATOR, RINGS AROUND THE WORLD and PHANTOM POWER. The latter of these two were released as DVD's where each song followed a set story, making them almost like a film. On the stage, SUPER FURRY ANIMALS bring a very Art Rock style to their music by including a vast amount of visuals, including screen movies and dressing up as different characters from their albums. Each studio album they have made has been packed with prog tunes and can be well enjoyed by fans of MOGWAI, CAPTAIN BEEFHEART...
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SUPER FURRY ANIMALS discography


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SUPER FURRY ANIMALS top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.55 | 18 ratings
Fuzzy Logic
1996
3.40 | 16 ratings
Radiator
1997
3.26 | 14 ratings
Guerrilla
1999
2.39 | 10 ratings
Mwng
2000
3.76 | 24 ratings
Rings Around The World
2001
3.28 | 14 ratings
Phantom Power
2003
2.80 | 10 ratings
Love Kraft*
2005
2.75 | 10 ratings
Hey Venus!
2007
3.98 | 12 ratings
Dark Days/Light Years
2009

SUPER FURRY ANIMALS Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

SUPER FURRY ANIMALS Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)

3.67 | 3 ratings
Rings Around The World
2001
3.10 | 2 ratings
Phantom Power
2003
4.09 | 2 ratings
Songbook Volume One
2004

SUPER FURRY ANIMALS Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

4.00 | 2 ratings
Out Spaced
1998
2.00 | 1 ratings
Phantom Phorce
2004
5.00 | 2 ratings
Songbook Volume One
2004
0.00 | 0 ratings
Under The Influence
2005

SUPER FURRY ANIMALS Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)

3.00 | 1 ratings
In Space (EP)
1995
3.00 | 1 ratings
Moog Droog
1995
3.05 | 2 ratings
Ice Hockey Hair
1998
0.00 | 0 ratings
Slow Life
2004

SUPER FURRY ANIMALS Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 Guerrilla by SUPER FURRY ANIMALS album cover Studio Album, 1999
3.26 | 14 ratings

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Guerrilla
Super Furry Animals Prog Related

Review by DangHeck
Prog Reviewer

3 stars The UK's Super Furry Animals always struck me as significant to Alternative Rock and Power Pop, so when I discovered they were here on ProgArchives that was exciting. Certainly, the melding of "Alternative" music and Pop has been happening since the birth of progressive music as a niche part of the Pop canon (the mid-to-late-60s), and SFA weren't the first to approach these styles for their generation. And from my memory, their third LP, Guerrilla, is far fuller with experimentation and brings a diverse allotment of genres and moods than what came before.

Don't be too keen to check your volume, as the opener, "Check It Out", begins out of a sea of silence, broken before the first minute, to what I would describe as something happily owing to Psych Pop. The bass and straight drum rhythm bounce accordingly, as these elements collide with minor-key guitar crunch. Pre-second verse, we are greeted with bright flutes (perhaps performed most convincingly on Moog). This is a strong track and its progressive elements come in the form of sonic depth in the least. The track closes out seemingly prematurely, with the quieting of the airwaves, until a few seconds later, a funny, little electro-Jazz thing closes out the number officially. Interesting choices, to be sure. Breaking the silence in a more definite way, "Do or Die" is to follow, a straight-ahead Alt Rock number, hearkening back to synth-heads like Game Theory. Strong, though simple melodies and infectious riffs can be found herein. Our heads are then turned back to the psych-soak pastoral of "The Turning Tide", Gruff Rhys's warm, throaty vocals matched with Rhodes, acoustic guitar and piano, and a small string ensemble to boot. Lovely.

The mood shifts most suddenly into a vaguely Caribbean cadence on "Northern Lites". Charming vocals sing great melodies (best thus far). The small ensemble of strings from the previous track is replaced by a crew of horns. This is more in line with Brian Wilson than sharing any commonality with much from the Symphonic Prog of old and has nothing to do with the Post-progressive Rock of Radiohead and their ilk. "Night Vision" buzzes into my earbuds, evoking punky Garage Rock, though the backing vocals are broadly... R'n'B? I have no idea what it is haha. Frankly, a corny song to me. The electronic droning in the latter half before the choral return was a nice choice. Perhaps overall, this may appeal to fans of Ween. I'm struck with a similar feeling at the start of "Wherever I Lay My Phone (That's My Home)", as a scurrying, almost rapping group of sampled, distorted voices introduce another lighthearted number. Certainly, Rhys's vocals are also rap-like, not to be confused with any atonal deliveries from whitey (i.e. Punk, at large). I hope they had fun, anyway haha. "A Specific Ocean" follows, with cool, downtempo beats and simple instrumentation, a sort of 1-minute interlude.

I struggle to call "A Specific Ocean" an interlude in the sense that it's tying things together, but it does break things up. Next is "Some Things Come from Nothing", at least following in a chill vibe not dissimilar to that interlude. As we get two minutes in, I'm definitely resonating with the title. The instrumentation is sparse and more focused on the electronic. Very full mix on this one, despite its minimalism. On this note, this is one of a few decisions they made which just feel like a mark against the album as a whole. To follow, and most suddenly, "The Door to This House Remains Open" is somehow based on a jam sesh on the Rod Stewart classic "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?" haha. Pretty remarkable. This is a full embrace of technology in what I would consider a sonic triumph. Definitely understand (limitedly) the Boards Of Canada comparison, but it broadly has a Drum'n'Bass approach to the rhythm section, with sharp, rolling drums and deep, droning bass.

Back to Alt-Rock optimism, "The Teacher" is another straight-ahead song with not so much in the way of surprises, but does have solid melodies and is strengthened by varied percussion and a repeated, tone-setting organ crescendo. Next, we are lulled back to bed with the soft, heartfelt "Fire in My Heart", a Rootsy ballad. Definitely some strengths here, again praise due to the mix. "The Sound of Life Today" is an even shorter interlude, a scurrying of light synth lines, readying us for the dreamy start to "Chewing Chewing Gum". Vocal harmonies drift in and out of the mix until they remain in strength, only fortified by the building drums, simple but true. Another tune that literally sprouted out of near-nothingness. Grateful for my Psychedelic education (in more than one way), as the reward of this number comes fullest with time. Interestingly, this reminded me of offerings from Sweden's Beardfish. Finally, "Keep the Cosmic Trigger Happy" comes with a 10+ minute track length. This is a return to the bright Psych Pop of the album's start. I could see others drawing parallels to Queen as well. It's a playful song, which only offers more and more, thank god for the technology, I say. Of course, no surprise now, the 10-minute length was a farse, the song closing around 3 minutes, and so I wait... Just kidding. The hilarious thing about this must-be hidden track, a reprise of "Chewing Chewing Gum", lasts so brief, it feels like a huge joke has been played on me. Respect.

 Moog Droog by SUPER FURRY ANIMALS album cover Singles/EPs/Fan Club/Promo, 1995
3.00 | 1 ratings

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Moog Droog
Super Furry Animals Prog Related

Review by siLLy puPPy
Special Collaborator PSIKE, JRF/Canterbury, P Metal, Eclectic

— First review of this album —
3 stars MOOG DROOG is the second EP released by SUPER FURRY ANIMALS. As with the first "Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyndrobwllantysiliogogogochynygofod (in space) E.P." it was released on the independent Ankst records which would be their last before signing on to Creation to debut their first full album "Fuzzy Logic." The title is a Welsh phrase that means "bad smoke" which is slang for marijuana. This is neo-psychedelia after all! As with their debut MOOG DROOG has also been released with two artistic album covers ironically the same as the first EP only with different coloration. This one has the prettier colors of the stick man sweeping dirt under a carpet with other beings rising from the dust. The oranges and purples and futuristic pixilations make for quite the trippy and eye-catching artistic statement. There is also a rare 7" Vinyl release that has a neon orange smiley face on a bright blue background with Mickey Mouse ears and SFA eyes. Not nearly as cool, but strange.

EP number two is another short but sweet release that has a running time of 15:11. These two first EP releases are very punk in that regard and reminds me of art punkers like the Minutemen in their stream of super short EPs. The music on MOOG DROOG is less grungy than the debut and enters more into psychedelic pop territory with moments reminding me of the late 60s Beatles ("PamV")and at times reminding me of the myriad indie pop and rock bands of the 90s including The Flaming Lips, Of Montreal or even Mercury Rev. The electronic embellishments have really entered the sound now and have usurped the harshness of the guitars. The lyrics are in both Welsh and starting with their first single "God! Show Me The Magic" in English as well.

MOOG DROOG shows SFA sallying forth into their ever expanding adventurous experimentation while keeping the songs and the hooks ever so accessible as to reel you in instantly. The first two EPs have become collector's items due to their scarcity but are very good supplementation to your SFA discography since the music on this is well worth hearing for any fans of neo- psychedelic pop and indie rock. Although the songs are more pop oriented and less adventurous as their next full album releases they still show quite a strong development towards their own unique sound. 3.5 rounded down

 In Space (EP) by SUPER FURRY ANIMALS album cover Singles/EPs/Fan Club/Promo, 1995
3.00 | 1 ratings

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In Space (EP)
Super Furry Animals Prog Related

Review by siLLy puPPy
Special Collaborator PSIKE, JRF/Canterbury, P Metal, Eclectic

— First review of this album —
3 stars Right from the beginning SUPER FURRY ANIMALS were displaying their mammalian cuteness and treating us to a strange little debut EP with an equally strange lengthy title which, believe it or not is LLANFAIRPWLLGWYNGYLLGOGERYCHWYNDROBWLLANTYSILIOGOGOGOCHYNYGO FOD (IN SPACE). The title is from a real town on the Isle of Anglesey in their native Wales which happens to be the longest official one-word place name in all of Europe and the second in the entire world. The funny thing about this monstrous title is that the entire running length of the EP is a mere 13:03 and as a non-Welsh speaker i would have to say that pronouncing the name of this release would take me longer than it would take for the 4 tracks to play. So we can just call it IN SPACE :)

This is a debut release and frankly it sounds like one. It is nowhere as interesting and creative as the first few full studio albums, but it is hardly a waste of time either. All tracks are sung in their native Welsh and the although the music isn't as varied as future releases, we get some hints of what's to come. Starting on "Organ Yn Dy Geg" we get an indie rock type of grungy sound with cool swirling electronic effects and a harmonica on board as well. All tracks are short and sweet. "Fix Idris" sounds very much like a 90s indie Britpop type of song with vocal harmonies and a bouncy Blur type of guitar edge with a slight Beatles kind of feel. "Crys Ti" is a very short track that reminds me a bit of Weezer pop punk with some electronics added. "Blerwytirhwng?" is the longest track one second shy of the five minute mark and is a slower indie rock type of track that has a nice hook and almost sounds orchestrated but in an SFA way. The backing of various sounds around a nice groovy guitar riff is the key to their song building and however here it's at the beginning stages.

This EP was released twice with two front covers. The original has some dude sweeping under a rug with other figures under there as well which ironically is also the cover of their second release the "Moog Doog EP" albeit with different coloration. The second is the one i have of a neon green smiley face with Mickey Mouse ears and two cute SFA eyes on a black background. A nice debut for a unique band that doesn't quite hit the mark as they would on their full album releases but nonetheless dishes out four nice tracks that managed to carve a distinct sound of sort despite the obvious influences. 3.5 rounded down

 Hey Venus! by SUPER FURRY ANIMALS album cover Studio Album, 2007
2.75 | 10 ratings

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Hey Venus!
Super Furry Animals Prog Related

Review by TCat
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin

3 stars This is the first SFA album on the label Rough Trade. The label wanted a pop sounding album like they used to make, so SFA put together a bunch of poppier songs which sound similar to Elvis Costello for the most part and only leaving a few really good songs like "Baby Ate My Eightball" and "Carbon Dating". The songs are short and so is the album at just over 36 minutes, it is the shortest album that the band made.

The songs on the album were quickly recorded without any samples or computerized recording techniques as the band was also trying to achieve the feeling that the songs were recorded by the band together in a room. They achieved that goal, but unfortunately the songs ended up feeling hollow and not very adventurous. Yes there are highlights to the album, but not enough to merit the high quality of playful songwriting and risky music that they had been experimenting with in their more recent past.

Not a recommended SFA album. It's just not deep or challenging enough as "Phantom Power" or the most recent gem of an album "Dark Days/Light Years". Start with those albums since they are much better. This one only gets 3 stars because even if it's poppier, at least they can make interesting sounding pop, but it's nothing close to their better albums.

 Guerrilla by SUPER FURRY ANIMALS album cover Studio Album, 1999
3.26 | 14 ratings

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Guerrilla
Super Furry Animals Prog Related

Review by TCat
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin

4 stars This is SFA's 3rd full LP and it is quite the interesting conglomeration of styles and sounds with enough variety to make anyone happy at least for the duration of one track, but in most cases I think anyone would find themselves enjoying several tracks here. What the band was aiming for here was a pop oriented album. They wanted to explore many different styles and that is what happened. For me, this makes this album very enjoyable and fun, but most people might consider it a bit inconsistent because of the variety evident on the album. The one thread that holds most of the songs together on the album is that there is a strong reliance on electronic music and sounds and it is the first time the band had used a sampler (and they use it to add some original and interesting effects). The guitar is not relied upon as much on this album as it has been on other albums.

In the making of the album, the band planned on using the same producer as they had used previously, but he wanted the band to put off the album for a while so that he could rest up from being so busy producing other band's albums. SFA was way too eager to wait, so they ended up producing this album on their own. Since they were sharing the responsibilities of production, they all decided that they would have to reach a consensus as far as which of the 25 tracks that were recorded would be included on the album. They chose the tracks that were more electronic/keyboard oriented and that were more upbeat and "pop-ish" sounding. However, while the band insists on this being "a disposable pop album that you won't want to throw away" many critics insist that it is an excellent foray into psychedilia and dubbed the music "nu-psychedelic". Ghrys explains that psychedelic music should consist of more improvised material and says that all of the music here was pre-planned and has structure. So he insists that it is pop oriented.

Since the tracks are quite brief, that pop idea might hold out. However, even though the album did exceedingly well in Britain, the sounds on the album are very new and interesting, far above the typical pop sound. There are some very infectious tracks on here and there are some very experimental sounding tracks here too. Like I said, this album sports a wide variety of music, and a lot of it is very innovative. Just like most of SFA's other albums, I find this a very enjoyable album which breaks out of the mold of regular run of the mill pop more than it follows the typical pop formulas. Is it progressive though? Well probably not as much as most prog lovers would like, but I will definitely tell you it is much better than a lot of the usual sounding rock and pop music out there. I find it adventurous and interesting.

Most people seem to miss the fact that there are 2 hidden tracks on this album. The hidden track at the end is pretty much expected because it comes after several minutes of silence at the end of the last track. However, the other hidden track is in the pre-gap of the CD. If you start the CD and then hit rewind back to the first of the song and the CD will flip to the hidden beginning track, which is actually a full song and not the typical hidden track filler, so if you like the rest of the album, then you should take the time to find this track. Samples were used in unconventional ways. For example, the "Where Ever I Lay My Phone" is based on a repetitive conventional ring tone, while "The Door of This House Remains Open" is based on a processed recording of the band performing Rod Stewart's "Do You Think I'm Sexy". A lot of the music was also recorded as different situations dictated. The track "Northern Lights" is based on island rhythms that utilizes steel drums that were added at the last minute and played by the keyboardist who didn't know how to play steel drums.

I suppose the thing that would make this album lean towards the progressive genre is in the interesting methods of recording and the experiments in making popular music more interesting. While the album didn't do exceptional in the states, it was quite highly regarded and popular in Britain where it hit number 10 on the British Albums Chart. The music is definitely pop-prog in the same vein as 10CC, David Bowie or Roxy Music with sounds of glam-rock echoing throughout. I love the variety and the originality of the album, but I can't quite consider it a masterpiece. But it is better than a lot of other material out there and definitely far above they typical pop record. I see this as a strong 4 star album just as good as most 10CC albums if not better and more modern sounding and innovative. However, the band was a little put off over bad experiences from their foray into pop territory, that the next album "Mwing" would be almost a complete opposite to this being a lo-fi recording with most lyrics performed in somewhat non-existent language.

 Fuzzy Logic by SUPER FURRY ANIMALS album cover Studio Album, 1996
3.55 | 18 ratings

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Fuzzy Logic
Super Furry Animals Prog Related

Review by TCat
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin

4 stars Fuzzy Logic is the debut album by Super Furry Animals, and in my opinion, the band did a pretty good job of nailing the sound of glam-rock which is pop based rock with an edge, the same kind of rock done by other great prog related artists like....hmmm, lets see.....David Bowie, Roxy Music, Queen, 10CC, yes even early Pink Floyd, the Beatles and Genesis....to name a few. This is the same kind of music that is performed by this band. Having said that, you will get an idea of what this music is about. Somehow, however, it got labeled by a lot of people as being alternative, but I guess many people would consider Bowie alternative too. SFA actually got the sound right the first time, which many alternative bands and new wave bands from the 80s couldn't get right for a while and some of them never did. I consider this music not pop, but anti-pop, which is demonstrated by the eccentric nature of the bands and the eclectic sound of their music. This is over the top music, not so much in the sound of the music, but in the performance of the music.

SFA do this kind of music, and they do it well. All through this album you can hear shades of David Bowie and Roxy Music doing what they did best. This music is very psychedelic, but has a more updated sound. Yet it still remains true to it's roots. This band just does not get the attention or the accolades that it so much deserves. This first album is a bit all over the place in a way, and not as focused as some of their later albums. But I listen to it and I am so surprised at how they really nailed it faster than so many other bands that people claim to be better than them. You get a few crazy guitar solos, a lot of chaotic sounding brit-pop (gone mad that is), and a very glam-rock type sound. But, this album shows some immaturity in the sound, which the band would adjust in the near future. For now, though, this is a fun album, full of surprises and even some heartfelt moments.

Lovers of Bowie and Roxy Music will find a lot to love here, just as I do. The band got the sound down so well that this album was considered on of the 1001 albums you must hear before you die. I couldn't agree more, but you got to go into it expecting prog related music in the same vein as all the best glam rockers. Those that profess that this is not progressive rock have forgotten that there is an entire genre of prog music that they have dismissed. It's true that this album doesn't have a lot of tricky rhythms (even though there are moments that make me go "WTF was that?") and the songs are not of epic length, but that doesn't mean this band doesn't deserve to be on this site. If that was the case, then Bowie, Roxy Music and Queen shouldn't be here either. This is the sub-genre of Progressive Music that everyone likes to forget about when trying to think of the definitive sound of prog, but let me assure you this is prog and deserves to be here.

You may ask, so that's all well and good, but what does this album sound like? Well, the entire album, though a little unfocused, sounds like Bowie, Roxy Music, early PF (the Barrett Days) and etc. just like I've been describing. That sound is evident through the entire album, with an occasional whacky guitar solo, a few strings placed here and there, psychedelic at times and experimental at others and though they rely a lot on the sound of glam bands, they still have that distinct sound that lets you know you are listening to SFA. I really can't give this excellent effort anything less than 4 stars. Great music by a great band that just doesn't get the recognition it deserves.

 Fuzzy Logic by SUPER FURRY ANIMALS album cover Studio Album, 1996
3.55 | 18 ratings

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Fuzzy Logic
Super Furry Animals Prog Related

Review by siLLy puPPy
Special Collaborator PSIKE, JRF/Canterbury, P Metal, Eclectic

4 stars SUPER FURRY ANIMALS is a strange band emerging out of Wales, UK in the 90s and not strange like OMG this music is too weird, man! Strange in that they are at their base a britpop band that has song structures similar in catchiness to the bigwigs of that movement like Oasis, Blur and Supergrass but also incorporates a healthy dose of neo-psychedelia from Radiohead, the indie pop craziness of Ween, the glam rock riffage from David Bowie, Alice Cooper and other 70s giants as well as sensual orchestration like that of The Verve.

FUZZY LOGIC is their debut LP and a surprise to find that it is a very consistent album incorporating so many different influences that end up working together so very well. While the short intro track "God! Show Me Magic" sounds a lot like the harder sounds of Supergrass, it quickly cedes to a slower britpop Oasis groove that sounds more like a glam rock Bowie song, but although the influences are evident they are just distant enough to keep me from crying rip off.

Tracks like "Hometown Unicorn" show a distinct "The Mollusk" era Ween sound in action with Hendrix guitar and solos and other 60s psych / pop influences melded together. The rest of the album follows suit mixing and fusing all these influences together with catchy britpop based compositions but always bring some strange new ideas or seasoning to the table. This is only the debut album by SFA. Despite their delving into the progressive realms of music they were also fairly successful from the start on the UK pop charts.

Their sound becomes more distinct starting with their second album "Radiator" when all these detectable influences simmer down into a tastier concoction generating a more original sound. For a debut album clearly rooted in the britpop era i have to say that i find this album a winner. The production is crystal clear, the alternation of hard and soft tracks mixed with glam, psychedelic, indie rock / pop as well as 60s influences too numerous to mention really adds up to a pleasant surprise.

 Dark Days/Light Years by SUPER FURRY ANIMALS album cover Studio Album, 2009
3.98 | 12 ratings

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Dark Days/Light Years
Super Furry Animals Prog Related

Review by TCat
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin

4 stars What do you get when you combine psychedelic/space rock, electronica, progressive rock and pop music altogether, throw in a few tricky rhythms, stray away from the usual verse/chorus formula, throw in some chaos once in a while, add an odd instrument or two, sing in Welsh and rap in German just to throw you off a bit, put in a wild guitar solo or two, shake in a bunch of amazing hooks and add a lot of non-obnoxious keyboards and add a dash (or spill it in sometimes) of humor? You get this album! In fact, you might get a few Super Furry Animals albums.

Some may wonder why this band is in the Prog Archives. It is listed under Prog Related because it is a brand of unconventional pop music, but there is so much more to it than pop music. This is, to me, an updated version of Sophisto-Prog, which was popularized in the late 70's, early 80s by a band by the name of Supertramp. But this is a much more updated sound AND you get a whole truck load of variety on top of that. Where Supertramp's sound was easily recognizable, SFA is not so recognizable because they give their treatment to so many kinds of music. You can really hear that in this album, which is probably one of their best. This album is full of surprises, but if I told you what they were, they wouldn't be surprises anymore. And that last epic track called "Pric" is simply amazing music that even propels you into avant garde territory before you even realize what is going on.

This is not music that you have to concentrate on and because of that, the album can play by track by track and before you know it, you've been tapping your foot and bouncing your head for over an hour and wondering where the time went. But you will have sounds echoing in your head and you will be thinking, "Wow, where did that sound come from and how could a pop group do something that cool?" You will question whether you really did hear that or if it is something that popped in your head from another album. This is good stuff and it very seldom gets boring. Pop and prog really can work together. Though the prog might be light, the band does not follow pop formulas though they may retain some of the sensibility of it all, but at the same time, the music just hangs on the edge of sanity.

Enjoyable music. I wish pop music would take lessons from this music more often. Excellent addition to your collection. 4 stars (with a fifth star that just kind of winks in and out a bit, kind of like that Christmas light with a short in it).

 Fuzzy Logic by SUPER FURRY ANIMALS album cover Studio Album, 1996
3.55 | 18 ratings

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Fuzzy Logic
Super Furry Animals Prog Related

Review by arcane-beautiful

4 stars This being their first album, I was very impressed.

Out at around the time Britpop was going strong, these Welsh guys took the Brit Pop sound and added more colourful influences, like punk, fuzz rock, psychadellic and progressive rock in order to enhance a thick and joyous sound.

This album was very fun to listen to. Their wasnt really any bad songs on it, it did have it's ups and downs, but it was really fun to listen to.

1. God! Show Me Magic - Britpop at it's very best. Great chorus. Alot like the Pixies, short and simple. 10/10

2. Fuzzy Birds - Very funny song about a man who makes his hamster spin around on a wheel and power his house. A bit like The Beatles meet Prince. Great chorus. 9/10

3. Something For The Weekend - Reminds me of The Kinks. Very The Hoosiers. Great chorus. 9/10

4. Frisbee - Very rocking. Pretty good chorus. 8/10

5. Hometown Unicorn - Amazing chorus. Reminds me of early Radiohead meets Blur. 10/10

6. Gathering Moss - Quite beautiful. Very dreamy. 9/10

7. If You Don't Want Me To Destory You - Again, very dreamy and incredibly British. Great vocal overdubs. 9/10

8. Bad Behaviour - Sounds like a fuzzed version of Status Quo. Great song. Love the thermin work. 9/10

9. Mario Man - Great changes in dynamics and use of sound. 8/10

10. Hangin' With Howard Marks - Love the lyrics. Guy from Sparks, haha. Great song. 8/10

11. Long Gone - Nice and calm. A bit repetitive though. 7/10

12. For Now & Ever - Reminds me of Weezer. Great end to the album. 8/10

CONCLUSION: Wouldn't say it's a masterpiece, but is incredibly enjoyable.

 Rings Around The World by SUPER FURRY ANIMALS album cover Studio Album, 2001
3.76 | 24 ratings

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Rings Around The World
Super Furry Animals Prog Related

Review by arcane-beautiful

4 stars 100th REVIEW

Yes, I have been doing these since last November and I have done 100 now. Aww, i'm so proud of myself.

Now onto this album.

For those who don't know, Super Furry Animals are a Welsh rock band with psychadellic influences.

Now alot of albums usually start of great, with all the strongest material at the start and more filler material at the end, but this album is almost the oppisite, with all the weak material at the start and all the amazing songs at the end.

Yes, the first half isn't the best, not bad, but not great either, but the 2nd half is just spectacular.

Their crossover style is amazing, taking pop, rock, psychadellic and at times electronica to make some great music. Basically, these guys were doing this before The Flaming Lips decided to make a similar style to theirs.

1. Alternate Route To Vulcan Street - Nice calm song with some nice Beatle esque orchestration. A great intro. Love the piano in this song. 8/10

2. Sidewalk Serfer Girl - Has a very Blur meets Elvis Costello vibe to it (this is very common on this album). Love the distorted stabs. Very Sonic Youth. Nice & dreamy chorus. 8/10

3. (Drawing) Rings Around The World - Nice and jaunty. Love the vocal harmonies in the final chorus. 8/10

4. It's Not The End Of The World? - Way too Beatley. How do they think they are? Oasis? The Rutles? 6/10

5. Receptacle For The Respectable - Ok, this song is pretty cool. Love all the different moods and sounds. The death metal growls at the end are pretty cool as well. 9/10

6. (A)Touch Sensitive - Pretty cool electronica instrumental. 8/10

7. Shoot Doris Day - Again, too Beatley. I do like the chorus though. The lyrics are just stupid, and not even funny. 7/10

8. Miniature - Short and sweet. Haha. 8/10

9. No! Sympathy - I love how well this song flows. I also love the chorus. Great vocal harmonies. Quite Ounk Floydy. The ending is very weird but very cool. Very Aphex Twin. 9/10

10. Juxtaposed With U - Love the vocorder. I don't think I've heard vocorder being used as good as it is in this song (It's even better than Sexual Eruption by Snoop Dogg, God I love that song). Yea, this song is just amazing. So dreamy and Flaming Lips like with an amazing chorus. This song is going to be a song that I won't stop listening to for a while. It's just so good and already thinking about it puts me in a good mood. 10/10

11. Presidential Suite - Blur and Elvis Costello spring to mind again. I do like the lyrics of this song, stupid as they are. This song also reminds me of Flight Of The Conchords. Haha. 9/10

12. Run! Christian, Run! - The vocal harmonies are very Red Hot Chili Peppers. Lovely accordian work and a great chorus. 9/10

13. Fragile Happiness - Great moog work. Nice and laidback. A lovely wee ending. 8/10

CONCLUSION: The first half is a wee bit weak, but the last half is so good. If you don't buy this album, then download the song Juxtaposed With U, never before has one song made an album so good.

Thanks to frenchie for the artist addition.

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