On their latest album, the one of a kind Super Furry Animals combine wit, intelligence and quirkiness in catchy melodies, acoustic, orchestral, & electronic music mixed with sampled noises, along with some unexpectedly strong views on religion and politics.
Some of my favorite tracks (actually most of the album): "Sidewalk Serfer Girl" is a nice combination of synthesized drum beats and pretty harmonies. "(Drawing) Rings Around the World" is a very catchy song that builds up to sampled sounds of telephone operators. "It's Not the End of the World" has a positive message about changing the world and features falsetto vocals and melody by head Super Furry Animal, Gruff Rhys. "Receptable for the Respectable" may be the most diverse off the album, beginning as a call and response pop song which culminates to a jazzy and then electronic, almost angry (but still fun) rock song.
"Shoot Doris Day" combines word play and rhymes with nice harmonies and strings. "No! Sympathy" begins as a solemn acoustic folky song with a falsetto harmony in the chorus and speeds up at the end to display of sampled noises, reversed guitar line, and electronic bleeps and buzzes. "Juxtapozed With U" begins like an old 70s TV show with a synthesized vocal that reverts to a beautiful chorus. "Presidential Suite" is a nice ballad that recalls the exploits of a certain Bill and Monica and features a bugle and an excellent melody. "Run! Christian, Run!" is a country-tinged ballad with well-harmonized vocals.
Super Furry Animals have done it again by making an album that few bands could emulate, which means, "yes, it is very good!"
Super Furry Animals Rings Around the World
