Dark Days/Light Years - Super Furry Animals

It can't be a coincidence that, just as Super Furry Animals have a new album out, the sun starts shining again. This, their ninth effort, continues their run of consecutive brilliant albums which dates back to...well, their first one! Since their 1996 debut Fuzzy Logic, the Furries' sound has evolved into a technicolour brand of futuristic pop which, in terms of both ambition and warmth, ranks alongside The Beatles. They are a band who hold world records not for sales figures, but for becoming the first band to play gigs in full surround sound, having the most swear words in a single ever (The Man Don't Give A Fuck), released the ...  Read the complete review

Super Furry Animals really are the victims of their own success. After a string of fantastic albums, it was inevitable that they would run out of creative juice, and 'Love Kraft' and 'Hey Venus!' were both slightly underwhelming. So it's good to know that they've managed to capture their vigour again on 'Dark Days/Light Years'. Perhaps Gruff's time in Neon Neon has helped, but this is certainly an album bouncing with life and energy. However, it starts slowly - 'Crazy Naked Girls' and 'Mt' and both too long and too slow, especially for album openers. Things don't really get going until 'Inaugural Trams' with its fairground noises, lyrics about designing a new ...  Read the complete review