REVIEW: Supergrass – Diamond Hoo Ha

/

sgrass.jpg

Out of all the British bands who became staples of Brit-pop and rock in the mid ’90s, Supergrass remains one of the most consistently capable acts who are still together. While they will be forever revered in the UK for churning out classic albums like I Should Coco and In It for the Money, their inability to chart highly or draw a massive following in the US has left me somewhat befuddled. How a band like Jet could go platinum in the US while leaving a preceding influence like Supergrass in the dust could be shown as an example of rampant commercialism, critical bias, or shifting geographical tastes. Whichever way you choose to look at it though, there is no denying Supergrass’ vital contributions toward contemporary indie-rock. For those adept enough to recognize the band’s consistencies, the four-piece has enough of a following in the UK and throughout the world to keep producing fantastic music. It would be safe to say that, out of Supergrass’ 5 previously released albums, not one has even come close to being a dud. When news came out last year that they were in the studio prepping their sixth full-length release, Diamond Hoo Ha, fans had little doubt that it would be another stroke of success.

Being their first album in three years, Diamond Hoo Ha also marks a comeback for the group’s early stylistic vantages. Their previous album, Road to Rouen, was a fantastic effort that displayed the group’s ability to dwell on a style more subdued in comparison to their previously energized efforts. It touched on a style that was borderline psychedelic, with lead vocalist Gaz Coombes delivering stimulating melodies over accompanying instrumentation that was darker and more orchestral in effect. His brother, Rob Coombes, also played arguably his most pivotal role as the group’s pianist since the debut. In comparison to previous efforts where keys were often a melodic reflection of guitars and bass, they now were representative of a separate melodic entity. Diamond Hoo Ha, however, brings back a sound that veteran Supergrass fans have grown long accustomed to since the release of I Should Coco in 1995. Guitars once again reign in full force, with Coombes’ keyboard usage being of a bouncier, more pop-laden nature. Though the songs remain too roughly distorted to be accurately compared to the amiable Brit-pop displayed on I Should Coco, Diamond Hoo Ha is more representative of the style explored on the equally successful In It for the Money. Touchstones of traditional British rock remain prevalent influences, with odes to The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, and other influential acts who incorporated blues and rock being of genuine nostalgic satisfaction.

sgrass1.jpg

The album’s two leading singles, “Diamond Hoo Ha Man” and “Bad Blood”, are both remarkably suitable representations of Supergrass’ stylistic tendencies on this particular release. Road to Rouen saw a veteran band capitalizing on their experience and, in chronologically unconventional form, the recent Diamond Hoo Ha sees Supergrass rediscovering – or simply re-exposing – their beloved form of energy. “Diamond Hoo Ha Man” is basked in the fury of distorted guitars, with Coombes’ signature yelp being of beneficial regard. “Bite me!” he exclaims, introducing the chorus with an additionally distorted guitar progression. “Oh, can’t you see I want you,” Coombes sings, “Got to get you in my suitcase!” It does a presentable job as an excitable opener, even if it the amount of energy exceeds the quality of songwriting. The bouncy verses of “Bad Blood” are reminiscent of the band’s earlier material on I Should Coco. The chorus emerges similarly to “Diamond Hoo Ha Man”, with the distortion and degree of vocal intensity increasing in equalized form. It remains generally superior to the opener though, mainly due to the structural variety and initial degree of infectiousness conveyed. Though it suffers occasionally at the hands of repetition, “Whiskey & Green Tea” manages to come across as generally memorable with a variety of unpredictably placed guitar solos, several snippets of brass, and an infectiously melodic chorus. In admirable form though, it is the only track on Diamond Hoo Ha whose prolonged length is detrimental to the final result.

In stark contrast to the album’s first two singles, “When I Needed You” emerges as the most satisfying track on Diamond Hoo Ha due to its instrumental variety and sheer melodic capacity. It is no surprise that Supergrass sounds best when guitars, bass, and keyboards are rolling on all cylinders and when not one specific instrument hogging the spotlight. It is what made I Should Coco one of the best debuts of the ’90s, and “When I Needed You” is an exceptional track that would have found success regardless of the period released. As it initially rides on the keyboards of Rob Coombes, a bluesy guitar lick emerges immediately prior to the rhythm section’s steady supplementation of the underlying melody. “All the shit that we face every day somehow works itself anyway,” Coombes grieves, preparing himself for the outstanding chorus that follows. “In the back of a stolen car, doing 80 with the headlights off, that’s when I needed you,” he now sings, with a series of guitars and keys gradually heightening their pitch in adjustment to Coombes’ flexible vocals. Each new chorus describes on an arduous situation, completely brought on by the melodramatic lament of the individual involved. As far as selecting singles go, I was surprised that “When I Needed You” was not their first choice. “Rebel in You” is poised to be the third single though and it certainly earns the title. The constant rapidity of Coombes’ upbeat key progression guides this one, echoing classic power-pop sentiments with yet another likable chorus.

Though Diamond Hoo Ha does not contain the consistency that Supergrass’ first two albums encompassed, every song is of an excitably agreeable nature and the group continues to reign as one of the most consistent acts of the past decade. And while it is arguably the group’s edgiest effort to date, several more subdued gems in the vein of “Return of Inspiration” and “Ghost of a Friend” provide a substantial degree of variability that should leave any Supergrass fan satisfied. Some have heralded them as a “singles band”, but I consider the phrase much too linear for a band of Supergrass’ caliber. As they prove with each successive release, they are an act that will be remembered long after their eventual demise. 7/10

***TRACKS REMOVED UPON REQUEST OF ARTIST***

——————————————————————————————

Supergrass – When I Needed You

[audio:http://mineorecords.com/mp3/sgrass-whe.mp3]

——————————————————————————————

Supergrass – Bad Blood

[audio:http://mineorecords.com/mp3/sgrass-bad.mp3]

——————————————————————————————

Supergrass – Rebel in You

[audio:http://mineorecords.com/mp3/sgrass-reb.mp3]

——————————————————————————————

Official Web Site

MySpace

BUY

Mike Mineo

I'm the founder/editor of Obscure Sound, which was formed in 2006. Previously, I wrote for PopMatters and Stylus Magazine.

Send your music to [email protected].

7 Comments

  1. First i wanna say that this is my favorite music blog, thanks to you guys i’ve found a lot of bands that today are my favorite ones.
    “Road To Rouen” was my favorite record of 2005, and Supergrass get in to my Top 5 , “Diamond Hoo Ha” wont be the best of 2008, but, should be one of the Top 10’s.

  2. Very nice band. In the U.S. and have never heard of them before. Thanks for making it possible.

  3. Damn – I mean I **totally** hear some Stones in “Ghost of a Friend”. Super review – well documented!

  4. It has always been incomprehensible to me that a band with as much talent and (as you mention) consistency as Supergrass has been generally ignored in North America. I myself was largely unaware of the band’s existence until I was handed a copy of “Supergrass is 10″… ever since I’ve been a manic fan. I recently took a road trip up to Montreal with some friends to see them live and they really blew me away! Anyhow, I quite appreciate your thorough and even-handed review of Diamond Hoo Haa… even in the UK they are often lambasted by critics who seem to have already made up their minds about the band and stubbornly refuse to give them a chance! Such injustice..
    As far as the new album goes, I think I generally agree with you; it’s not their finest to date (perhaps even their weakest? Although I think Life on Other Planets had some inconsistencies), yet – and this is an emphatic “yet”! – it still possesses some truly fine songs (“Rebel in You”, in particular stands out to my ears) and it is a hell of a lot more enjoyable to listen to than 99% of everything else currently being put out in the pop/rock genre. Sorry for the length of this post.. it’s just that your review made my day.
    Cheers!

  5. I have been a fan since their debut + thought “In It For the Money” was an alltime fave record + as good as it could get for these guys so I stopped paying attention for a decade. Now I get a copy of the new disc + almost shit my pants! They still rule. There’s something about the quality of their melodies that satisfies me on even the crap tunes. This disc is worth everybodys time…

  6. I don’t think is a good album but it is a honest album
    They follow the tread of this time musics, going into strokes, white stripes and even qotsa territory.

    there is worse music, but even much better.

    check their exclusive pictures live on liveon35mm.com

    ciao
    Vale

  7. I will agree with a lot of what you have to say. They definetly feel like they have given in to a more commercial sound on this album compared to others. The only problem with that is that the mainstream sound I hear on this album was big about 3 years ago. Things have changed pretty quickly and once again I highly doubt this album will reach the masses. I really love Road To Ruin and was really anticipating a lot so to see them sort of go back to there roots was sort of a shame. Also I really have to say there are definetly other bands in the brit pop area that have been around just as long as Supergrass and still put out consistent sounding albums. Just check out Super Furry Animals back log and tell me otherwise. Anyway great review and have to say that I enjoy the album and it will be listened to a bunch but it will never go down in my books as a classic like a few others that Supergrass have.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.