Although first released last year digitally and on vinyl, Hey Venus!, the eighth official studio offering from Welsh rock heroes Super Furry Animals, was unveiled in its compact disc form last week. Many critics have hailed Venus! as a return to form and have drawn comparisons to the group’s earlier, more critically acclaimed efforts such as Radiator and Fuzzy Logic, the group’s studio debut.Though Venus! technically is hardly a return to form (the five-piece pop/rock outfit draws its roots from techno and started as a techno band), it is a throwback to the catchier material the group recorded before growing more ambitions and recording some off-the-wall albums such as Mwng, which is sung entirely in Welsh, and the sprawling 2001 album Rings Around the World.
After the release of Love Kraft two years ago, it became apparent that SFA was slowly coming full-circle, as the band’s sound began to hearken to its late 1990’s formula of pop/rock.
With Venus!, the circle has been completed, but many will argue that, because of the album’s modest 37-minute length and the fact that none of the songs reach the five-minute mark, it is the group’s most concise record in years. While there are some strong moments sprinkled throughout the album, there is just enough inconsistency to keep it from being considered essential.
“The Gateway Song” gets things off to a plundering start. The nonsensical and mercifully short track is pure throwaway, from the childish lyrics (This song is a gateway song/ Why don’t you sing along-long/ To the gateway song/ Brings us up nicely to the harder stuff/ And once you get hooked/ You can’t get enough, oh yeah) to the generic riffs. It’s a must-not-listen, but “Run-Away,” the album’s second single, has the Phil Spector “Wall of Sound” trademark going for it, and the result is one of the most standout tracks in the SFA catalog. The quintet has rarely sounded more charming.
The group continues its pop bliss clinic with “Show Your Hand,” another strong if not slightly over-produced ear-candy track. The string arrangements take this song over the top, but part of SFA’s trademark in recent years is the washy, polished sound that screams upper-tier pop/rock.
A sultry, soulful arrangement is employed in “The Gift That Keeps Giving.” The layered harmonies, use of wah-wah pedals on some guitar parts, and background percussion make this an easy, enjoyable listen.
The mid-album lull begins with the slightly annoying “Neo-Consumer” and the forgettable “Into the Night.” This is Super Furry Animals on auto-pilot, and these songs simply don’t have the staying power of the early portion of the album.
“Baby Ate My Eight Ball,” is a breath of fresh air with its techno-subtleties, fast pace and intricate supplementary vocals. Though straightforward, it doesn’t overstay its welcome at a mere three-and-a-half minutes.
While the remainder of the album is by no means poor, the creative energy captured in the last few songs doesn’t seem to reach the level the group is capable of. The Elvis Costello-influenced “Carbon Dating” and the horn-drenched “Battersey Odyssey” is enjoyable but not memorable. “Suckers!” doesn’t leave the ground at all, but the group does chart into new territory with the closing “Let the Wolves Howl at the Moon,” showing a softer, early ’70s soft rock side not often seen in the SFA catalog and ending the album on a very positive note.
Fans of the Welshmen will find this to be another strong addition to the band’s already impressive repertoire, and new listeners will probably find this to be a very fun album.
Fun music seems to be Super Furry Animals’ expertise, and this is no different. While modest and, at times, a little too lightweight, the quintet’s eighth effort is another successful venture.