Super Furry Animals were my favourite British band of the late 1990's. In my opinion they were the only British band prepared to follow their own noses and take risks. But in reality the competition was pretty lame. The Auteurs had given up on the then current generation and thrown in the towel. Oasis and Suede sucked, Blur had lost interest, which only left Radiohead – whose greatness was diluted by laughing boy Thom Yorke’s ability to disappear up his own anus.
The first two Super Furry Animals albums, Fuzzy Logic and Radiator, were mutant psychedelic glam-rock masterpieces. But the two albums that grabbed me most were their rarities album Outspaced, and their Welsh language album, the subject of this post, Mwng.
Mwng is almost like a side project. It was released on the bands own label, Placid Casual, after the demise of their previous label, Creation. As a consequence it received little or no promotion. It features little of the wild-assed ideas and sounds on their Creation albums, and being sung in Welsh, there is none of the overt lyrical humour of the Creation albums – though maybe that's evident if you understand Welsh? However, this is more than made up by the emergence of a hitherto unseen pastoral folk influence, and the added mystery that the Welsh lyrics conjure. Just as everything sung in French sounds sexy, everything sung in Welsh sounds like it has emerged from middle earth! Gargoyles and Goblins!
The first two Super Furry Animals albums, Fuzzy Logic and Radiator, were mutant psychedelic glam-rock masterpieces. But the two albums that grabbed me most were their rarities album Outspaced, and their Welsh language album, the subject of this post, Mwng.
Mwng is almost like a side project. It was released on the bands own label, Placid Casual, after the demise of their previous label, Creation. As a consequence it received little or no promotion. It features little of the wild-assed ideas and sounds on their Creation albums, and being sung in Welsh, there is none of the overt lyrical humour of the Creation albums – though maybe that's evident if you understand Welsh? However, this is more than made up by the emergence of a hitherto unseen pastoral folk influence, and the added mystery that the Welsh lyrics conjure. Just as everything sung in French sounds sexy, everything sung in Welsh sounds like it has emerged from middle earth! Gargoyles and Goblins!
The album kicks off with Drygioni, a one minute burst of mid-temp mutant punk that gives little indication of what's to come. Ymaelodi Â'r Ymylon is a pleasant, melodic and folky tune with great multi-track vocals. Y Gwyneb Iau has a subdued jazzy feel, complete with saxophone, while Dacw Hi is a straightforward pop song. Nythod Cacwn is folky, based around acoustic guitar and vocals. Pan Ddaw'r Wawr is a slowly building psychedelic folk hybrid. Ysbeidiau Heulog is the most like their Creation songs. It starts with a gonzoid guitar riff, developing into an infectious glam rock with a subdued psychedelic mid-section. Y Teimlad is folky and lo-fi, becoming more psychedelic as it evolves. Sarn Helen is the album’s highpoint, a spooky, folky atmospheric synthesised soundscape that would sound right at home at a middle earth pagan festival. The album ends with Gwreiddiau Dwfn/Mawrth Oer Ar y Blaned Neifion, a slowly building track built around a recurring synthesiser motif.
The American version of the album came with an extra five-track disk, Mwng Bach. Cryndod Yn Dy Lais features acoustic guitar and vocals above an atmospheric wash, before dissolving into spooky warbling. Trons Mr Urdd is another more typical Furries number with a big chorus. Calimero is a fab 2 min 20 sec blast of fast tempo punk. Sali Mali is psych-folk, while (Nid) Hon Yw'r Gân Sy'n Mynd I Achub Yr Iaith is another more mainstream Furries number, but with a (guess what?) folky edge.
Super Furry Animals – 2000 – Mwng
1. Drygioni
2. Ymaelodi Â'r Ymylon
3. Y Gwyneb Iau
4. Dacw Hi
5. Nythod Cacwn
6. Pan Ddaw'r Wawr
7. Ysbeidiau Heulog
8. Y Teimlad
9. Sarn Helen
10. Gwreiddiau Dwfn/Mawrth Oer Ar y Blaned Neifion
Super Furry Animals – 2000 – Mwng Back
1. Cryndod Yn Dy Lais
2. Trons Mr Urdd
3. Calimero
4. Sali Mali
5. (Nid) Hon Yw'r Gân Sy'n Mynd I Achub Yr Iaith
Thanks a lot--saw them play live in 2002--one of the best concerts I've ever seen!
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