Super Furry Animals - Hey Venus

Rough Trade

Whereas the majority of their output in this decade has been very laid-back (almost to the point of lethargy on ‘Phantom Power’), the Super Furries seem to have found their pop bone again. Every song races about, making its point in a minimum of time, being succinct and catchy. Melody is once again to the fore, and atmospherics are sacrificed in place of making an immediate impact. Ironically, first single, ‘Show Your Hand’, acting as a microcosm, giving a taste of the hyperactive pop delights that can be found throughout the whole album.

The only shortfall is something that has arguably blighted the band for the entirety of this decade. While they might be shortening the songs and making them more accessible, they distinctly lack the bite that made their earlier releases so thrilling. Part of their initial charm was the fact that the songs had great melodies and catchy choruses, but they would also punch you in the face to get your attention, and then not let go. The Super Furries are an older but not necessarily wiser bunch. ‘Hey Venus!’ is chock-full of pop tunes, instead of grabbing your attention though, it smiles charmingly and winks in your direction but doesn’t really make any attempt to draw you in. It just sort of stands there, being nice.

Writer_Steven Rainey

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