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Rating: Here I am again for yet another review... this time it's Guerrilla's turn, the third album of unreleased tracks (excluding the b-sides collection "Out Spaced" released in 1998) by the Super Furry Animals. Although it's been little more than a year and a half since the Britpop-like "Radiator" - which I reviewed a few days ago - in this album the Furries no longer seem like themselves... or at least... they present themselves under very different styles from those previously adopted, while still creating super catchy songs that etch themselves into the brain...
It starts with "The Citizen Band"... or at least, those with the CD must press "rewind" for a while before track 1 to hear it... this is one of the few exceptions to what I prefaced: the melodies are still pretty Brit, for an ultra-catchy track...
Then comes the surprise: "Check It Out", the first track, is a minute of electro lounge complete with an electronic voice obsessively repeating "Check It Out, Check, check It Out...". Then with a series of electronic effects comes one of the singles, the fast "Do Or Die", an electropunk song with a rather silly lyric (classic of the super furry animals). Then there's a big old-time ballad, "The Turning Tide", with a very peculiar chord progression and an equally original melody. Track 4, "Northern Lites", is a samba (a sambaaa??? Yes, exactly so!) with plenty of percussion but a typically Furry-like melody. "Night Vision" is a fast rock song that mixes the schizoid music of the first albums (see "Frisbee" and "Chupacabras") with an extremely electronic interlude. The only flaw: it's too repetitive... three minutes instead of four and a half would have sufficed!
Then, the shock: "Wherever I Lay My Phone (That's My Home)", a techno track for seasoned DJs with a text made of advertising slogans about cell phones, which at the time (1999) were starting to spread rapidly... followed by "A Specific Ocean", a very short bridge song with trip-hop sounds, then begins "Some Things Come From Nothing", with a telegraphic text that repeats for six minutes... however, it's not boring, but thoughtful and fascinating. Then a drum'n'bass track follows: "The Door To This House Remains Open", with a slightly sing-song but pleasant melody.
Then the early "Super Furry" return: "The Teacher" is a garage track complete with la la la la la choruses and hand claps that would make Oasis jealous... then "Fire In My Heart", the new "If You Don't Want Me To Destroy You", followed by another bridge track, titled "The Sound of Life Today". Then a music box opens "Chewing Chewing Gum", a track with multiple voices repeated in a round, in a climax that culminates with the entrance of cymbals... wonderful! It closes the set with "Keep The Cosmic Trigger Happy", the most Beatles-like track of the album... the ghost track is a reprise of "Chewing Chewing Gum"...
As I said, here the Super Furry Animals play different genres, but the album is still one of their best and starts a new, more alternative course... the last albums, in my opinion, are a hybrid of this and "Radiator"...
I give this album a 4 because it's a step below the two I've already reviewed, but that doesn't mean it isn't a great work.
Ps. This cover is also wonderful and somewhat describes the music found on the album, extravagant, crazy, but fascinating and 100% catchy!
Until next time!
Temi#94
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Do or Die (01:59)
I got you
You got me
We got plenty to see
Let's sail the ocean, fancy free.
We could ride the camel.
One hump or two?
If we do or die, we should try
If we don't try, I say bye-bye
And if I say bye-bye
I'll wonder why
We didn't try
To do or die
Yeah yeah yeah
I am free
You are four
Let's take a five
We could climb a mountain
And landslide
We ride tornadoes
We eat tomatoes
If we do or die, we should try
If we don't try, I say bye-bye
And if I say bye-bye
I'll wonder why
We didn't try
To do or die
Yeah yeah yeah
04 Northern Lites (03:29)
born in a manger.
your getting stranger everyday.
uncertain chancer.
your sending everything astray.
your certain danger.
your a monsoon and fire all in one.
got me on the run.
there's a distant light.
a forest fire burning everything insight.
easy flight.
we pick it up in space with survey satellite.
survey satellite looking at you.
your turning every modern theory on it's head.
leaving me for dead.
your so demanding.
you've got me fumbling for escape.
i'm understanding.
but I'm affraid it's all too late.
to find a meaning.
your blowing everything away.
from coast to coast.
got me much too close.
there's a distant light.
a forest fire burning everything insight.
easy flight.
we pick it up in space with survey satellite.
survey satellite looking at you.
your turning every modern theory on it's head.
leaving me for dead.
don't worry me or hurry me.
blow me far away to the northern lites.
abandon me, abandon me.
blow me far away, blow me far away to the northern lites.
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