Gruff Rhys ‘Candylion’

As big a Super Furries fan as I am, their ‘Hey Venus!’ album passed me by last year, for some reason. It’s sat in my iTunes, I’ve just not listened. Don’t know why really, especially when you consider they are, hands down, the most creative band the UK has produced in the last decade. Yes, better even than Arctic Monkeys. Imagine.

No, for me last year was about the gentle lovliness of Gruff’s second solo album (again, his first is sat in iTunes, unlistened to, but then it is in Welsh), ‘Candylion’. It’s as hit and miss as you’d expect, but when it’s a hit, it’s like a cod in the face. The title track, especially, is just gorgeousness on top of gorgeousness. Live sadly, it was all ghastly. Self-indulgent nonsense despite the marvellous huge TV stage set. Still, that’s part of the joy of SFA.

BTW… It’s funny how the old mind works… The last Furries album shares a name with a very fine My Petrol Emotion track which, I recall, Ross Allen used to ‘play out’ at the wrong speed. Sounded great, I will dig it out and give it a whirl. MP3 with you soon… ish.

More hear…
- Yr Atal Genhedlaeth (Jan 2005)
- Candylion (Jan 2007)
I’ve included links to Amazon Marketplace until I unearth a better buying option. I’m a big fan of AM, especially when you think of it like a library. And so long as you keep buying and selling, it works out lovely. Surprised that Gruff’s solo efforts have held their price so well!
- I’ve also recently discovered Gruff has an electro-pop outfit, Neon Neon, whose concept album based on the life of John De Lorean is out next month. More research required I think…