Hey Venus

for music lovers around the globe, the announcement of a new super furry animals album after a two-year hiatus is reason enough to celebrate. that the album is their finest, most cohesive and pop to date is simply the icing on the cake. super furry animals, now in their 11th year of artfully beguiling recordings, have remained one of the most consistently creative, endlessly intriguing, boundlessly inventive and most fiercely loved bands on the planet. and that's a fact. 'hey venus', their 8th studio album, is the latest addition to their canon of abundant accomplishments. described by the band as 'a collection of 12 autonomous songs ranging in styles from country and contemporary rock music to orchestral psychedelic pop', 'hey venus' is far more than the sum of its parts. a gloriously intricate album jam-packed with the sorts of sunny melodies and melancholy arrangements that make every sfa release a symphonic and smart slice of songcraft, this record is even more of a rewarding sonic experience. lyrically the band are at their finest; from the opening bars of 'the gateway song' to the closing slo-mo honky-tonk tinged 'clet the wolves howl at the moon'd, singer gruff rhys rolls out tales of heartache, disillusionment, compulsive consumerism, wolves, eight balls and the milkyway with delicious ease. fans of the furries at their most foot-stomping and rousing will recognize 'neo consumer' with its shimmering tambourines, wall of sound backing vocals and chanting chorus as classic furries, reminiscent of their early singles, while 'battersey odyssey' is steeped in the psychedelic sounds and poetical word play that make the super furry animals songwriting so distinctive. their renowned playfulness is still intact as 'baby ate my eight ball' proves, while they retain their soulful side with 'the gift that keeps giving,' replete with a smokey-esque vocal, motown swing and a perfectly placed lonely trumpet solo. but in amongst all this pop perfection lies the album's most arresting moment: 'suckers!' - with its heartfelt "tell me you're a phoenix rising far above" refrain - is nothing short of a masterpiece. while sfa may not write ballads, they most certainly write delicately beautiful anthems and we're willing to bet that 'suckers!' will be rolling around inside your brain uncontrollably for the next few months. 'hey venus' was recorded at miraval studios in france and rockfield studios in wales by david newfeld (broken social scene) and mixed by sfa and chris shaw (who was at the helm of their brilliant 'rings around the world' album). the band enlisted a team of string players to fulfill their symphonic vision, with arrangements by sean o'hagan (the high lamas). on rough trade.