Juxtaposed By Mainstream Sucess (Rings Around The World - Super Furry Animals)

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Product:	Rings Around The World - Super Furry Animals
Date:	01/10/01 (77 review reads)
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From the first listen it is quite conspicious that this was clearly intended as a pop record,this was supposed to be part of Gruff Rhys' masterplan to subvert the whole music industry. By releasing the first single from the album Juxtaposed With U (the U inferrs that Rhys' is still street-texting culture) it is evident that the idea is to crack the mainstream slowley,and before they know it the previous adoration of middle of the road bands such as the Stereophonics will be eating from the SFA hand!You may be waiting for a while boys.The question being is the mainstream ready for the Super Furry Animals?Or are the SFA ready for the mainstream? Rings Around the World has its moments,stand out tracks being the amzing Run Christian Run! which reaches an amazing crescendo of harmony and meolody which is something that SFA do so effortlessly.Receptacle For The Respectable also continues from where diverting classics such as Play It Cool left off,the track mutates numerous times from catchy choruses to psychadelic carrot munching to dark techno and goth stomping-classic SFA,classic original song writing. Although it seems to me that Rings Around The Worlds affliction is having an instantly forgettable ballad for every gem!It's Not The End of The World has an undertone to it that suggests that Rhys and co are somehow forcing something as organic as a cloned sheep.I think the question Rings Around The World raises is when are the Mountain People going to return to the fringes where their loyal fan-base will truly love them?By leaving the earlier trodden preiphery the Super Furries are attempting to widen their appeal,but in a world of manufactured pop and middle of the road bland rock ala Travis, Dennis Wilson-esque classics will be neglected for the shiny fresh looking popsters - Its time you came back to the off beam world of the Super Furry Animals where subversion rules and the musical mainstream is sneared at!And be hasty boys you're 'original'
fan-base are getting tired of waiting!

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