Supergrass
http://www.supergrass.com

styles: alternative rock, britpop, punk-pop
others: Pulp, Super Furry Animals, Weezer

Life on Other Planets
Capitol, 2002
rating: 6.2
reviewer: mr p

After three long years, the beautifully-impaired trio are back with another batch of tightly structured pop songs. But before we dive right into the group's fourth long-player, Life on Other Planets, let me provide a short history lesson on Supergrass:

In 1995 Supergrass releases I Should Coco, a hyper-energized ball of snot that has as much attitude as talent. Because of its biting-yet-charming decorum, the poptacular critics swoon and salivate as they carelessly lump them into the brit-pop movement. Two years later, Supergrass unleash the near-flawless In It for the Money. Dabbling everywhere from punk to more jazz-influenced songs, the album ups the musical ante without sacrificing the fun. Add another couple years and we get to the untitled penultimate release. Though definitely not as "fun" or energized, the album exposes just how creative and talented these musicians are, replacing the spastic rock-outs with subdued compositions.

It's now 2002. Following the lead of previous albums, an assuming listener might expect an even less intense group on Life on Other Planets. But upon the first chords of opening track, "Za," it's apparent that a conscious toning-down of volume is not the Supergrass way. Consequently, most critics will likely proclaim this album as a return-to-form, a revisiting of the upbeat bounce of yesteryear. But from my vantage point, Life on Other Planets is the most un-Supergrass album yet.

Sure, on the surface, the volume and tempo on Life on Other Planets are much closer to In It for the Money than that of its predecessor. But other than these superficial reasons, Life on Other Planets shares little with their first two pop journals. When listening to the untitled album (the supposed oddball of all the albums), there's no doubt that the songs were trademarked with the Supergrass flexing that graced previous releases. Whether it be the chords, the musical tangents, or the melodies, the untitled album continued right where In It for the Money left off, perhaps more articulately. Life on Other Planets, however, shows a different blade of grass-- of course, any Supergrass album will essentially sound like a Supergrass album-- but little things have vanished, such as the aforementioned chords, tangents, and melodies.

What was most impressive of Supergrass throughout their formative years was the crafting of undeniably tasteful pop songs. There has been a glut of derivative pop songs in rock's history, yet the ones penned by Supergrass always protruded a little further. Songs like "Richard III" and "She's So Loose" exemplified Supergrass' pop sensibilities mixed with quirky, playful sentiments . But with songs like "Rush Hour Soul" and "Can't Get Up" off Life on Other Planets, one can't help but notice the magic has somewhat waned. And I guess when I say magic, I mean excitement, and when I say waned, I really mean disappeared.

The songs are by no means something to sleep to; they are still fairly representative of Supergrass. But subsequent listens prove somewhat boring. Other than the new melodies (which are banal in themselves), these songs offer nothing the listener hasn't heard before. From the throwaway lyrics of "Za" ("Face, such a beautiful face/ Time waits for no one/ So why don't we get it on? Yeah!") to the predictability of "Seen the Light," the album comes off tame and basks in the dreaded mediocrity of rock.

However, there are some pretty spectacular moments on the album. And, ironically, the two songs worth mentioning, "Prophet 15" and "Run," are the exceptions to the "return to form" notion; instead, these songs would fit well on 1999's untitled. Both seem very natural and unforced, relying on their transcendent nature to imbue an ambient environment.

Whether or not Supergrass failed to consciously make a return to its early rock-out days is not the issue, because even if they weren't conscious about the grand scheme of its rock-o-meter, the point is that Life on Other Planets is neither entirely boring nor entirely engaging. It's a definite middle-ground summed up best with two words: sub par. Now it looks as if not only do they need facials, but their songs could use a little touching up.

1. Za
2. Rush Hour Soul
3. Seen the Light
4. Brecon Beacons
5. Can't Get Up
6. Evening of the Day
7. Never Done Nothing Like That Before
8. Funniest Thing
9. Grace
10. LA Song
11. Prophet 15
12. Run
 

untitled
Captiol, 1999
rating: 7.8
reviewer: mr p

As time ticks, it's only natural for people to become moremature. We start to think more seriously, and in return, start to live life moreseriously. For rock musicians, the word mature either refers to the point wherethey trade in their distortion pedals for acoustic guitars or the musicianssimply become smarter with their instruments. Supergrass falls into the lattercategory with their latest untitled album. Yes, they've lost the bite thatcharacterized their previous efforts, yet the snotty attitude is definitely still buried beneath the delayed guitars and alien noises. At times the album can bedown-to-earth ("Your Love", "Pumping On Your Stereo") andthen all of a sudden they seem out-of-this world with songs such as"Eon" and the beautiful epic "Far Away". The mixing of thesesongs work to varying degrees, but when something works -- it works flawlesslyand showcases some of Supergrass' most intimate moments. If anything, thisuntitled album provides a glimpse into Supergrass' fragile soul that has beenhidden from us since they muscled their way onto the scene in 1993.

1. Moving
2. Your Love
3. What Went Wrong (In Your Head)
4. Beautiful People
5. Shotover Hill
6. Eon
7. Mary
8. Jesus Came from Outta Space
9. Pumping on Your Stereo 
10. Born Again
11. Far Away
12. Mama & Papa

In It For The Money
Capitol, 1997
rating: 8.5
reviewer: mr p

The quirky, playful boys of Supergrass are back at it again with In It Forthe Money, the follow up to 1995's I Should Coco -- and they succeedin almost every way imaginable. Happier, louder, smarter, uglier...you name itand they deliver it with a smirk and a middle finger. This album subtly hints atSupergrass starting to stray from their punk roots,only to stumble upon a more creative and experimental palette. Right from theopening title track, you know these brit-popsters mean business. Abrasiveguitars, piercing cymbals, creative basslines, and Yorke/Corgan-esque vocalsfight for the spotlight, while you hop up and down the sidewalk. Varied fromcarefully constructed pop gems such as "Richard III", "Sun Hitsthe Sky", and "Tonight" to more light-hearted tracks such as"It's Not Me" and "Late In The Day", Supergrass fusetogether a pop mutant that, in time, creeps its way to your heart.

1. In It for the Money
2. Richard III
3. Tonight
4. Late in the Day
5. G-Song
6. Sun Hits the Sky 
7. Going Out 
8. It's Not Me
9. Cheapskate
10. You Can See Me
11. Hollow Little Reign
12. Sometimes I Make You Sad