I Should Coco

Tearing by at a breakneck speed, I Should Coco is a spectacularly eclectic debut by Supergrass, a trio barely out of their teens. Sure, the unbridled energy of the album illustrates that the band is young, yet what really illustrates how young the bandmembers are is how they borrow from their predecessors. Supergrass treat the Buzzcocks, the Beatles, Elton John, David Bowie, Blur, and Madness as if they were all the same thing -- they don't make any distinction between what is cool and what isn't, they just throw everything together. Consequently, the jittery "Caught by the Fuzz" slams next to the music hall rave-up "Mansize Rooster," the trippy psychedelia of "Sofa (Of My Lethargy)," the heavy stomp of "Lenny," and the bona fide teen anthem "Alright." I Should Coco is the sound of adolescence, but performed with a surprising musical versatility that makes the record's exuberant energy all the more infectious.

I wont jump on the bandwagon and bash Oasis here, but Supergrass were criminally underrated and deserved just as much hype as the top 4 britpop bands. This is a gem.

I’m old enough that teenage me bought their debut single ‘Caught by the Fuzz’ on “Cassingle” the week it came out, because the NME told me to. (A ‘cassingle’ is a portmanteau of the words ‘cassette’ and ‘single’ that the record industry tried to make a thing for a while. You can google what a cassette is). I remember the NME review saying something about it being the sort of song where you’d find the CD (or cassingle) down the back of your sofa in a few years time and it would still sound great. I think they were implying that Supergrass would be a bit of a one-hit wonder so they didn’t really get that bit right, but they were spot on about the song still sounding good 25 years later. My opinion of this album is probably too influenced by the memory of teenage hormones and youthful naivety to be particularly objective, but I love it and it was a great journey down memory lane. On a side note, about a year and a half ago I saw Gaz Coombes play a free gig near my house, at the opening of a small bridge that doesn’t go anywhere (true story). He’s still great so I’d definitely recommend going and seeing him play, if there are any small, pointless bridges being opened within walking distance of your house.

I like this a lot due to the fact that i am trash.

Another new band and album! My first spin was a weak half-listen in which I prematurely dropped this trio into a pop punk category that I typically have no time for. But thankfully after a deeper listen, I was awakened to the radical statement that is "I Should Coco". After needing to calm down from I'd Like To Know, Caught By The Fuzz, and Mansize Rooster, the fourth song, Alright, helped me to really taste the British flavour and artistic ingredients with a fresh palette. What first felt simple transformed into a complex mutation of themes and sounds including bells, strings, organs, drums, and more. I am so stoked to have learned of this playful rock album! That is one of the wonderful truths about full albums - the more intentional the listen, the more you begin to hear. These strikingly manic mood shifts span a much broader spectrum than realized, and the musicianship & creativity is far more diverse. I really dig Strange Ones and the surprise harmonica in Time! While I truly appreciate every single song on the record, The Sofa Of My Lethargy showcases the breadth of writing and instrumentation that I missed the first time around. At the end, Time To Go is a pleasantly Beatlesque surprise desert to conclude the 13 course meal! ** I taste notes of Supergrass in Cage The Elephant, The Lemon Twigs and The Psychedelic Porn Crumpets? **I also was reminded how easily we can label or judge things before we know anything about them. Music is always a guiding light for me in this area.

Some good bri-ish pop on a chewsday innit

This was one of the first albums I ever bought, when I was eleven. I genuinely loved Alright when it came out, though I preferred Lenny. Indeed, I even had a pair of rudimentary sideburns aged 11 (though in fairness I've somehow always had a pair of Sidney Sideboards ever since I was about 8; I didn't spurt into puberty especially prematurely, I just always had sideburns). Now, I have no problem with me loving this album as kid, but how would I respond to it as a 30something? Very warmly, it turned out. We have here an amiable, sincere yet playful and funloving record. It's an adolescent record (indeed, children liked Supergrass), but thankfully focuses on the carefree happiness of your first spliff and your first caress of a bosom, rather than 28 tracks about self-harming and hanging round cemeteries. To add a note on the album's eclecticism, I Should Coco has a intriguing number of different styles. Yes, these styles aren't jarringly different from each other, forming part of the standard canon of British indie rock (Beatles, Kinks, Who, Clash, Jam, Smiths, Stone Roses etc.), but Supergrass' embrace of them feels organic, as if they actually just like those bands, rather than out of a need to brag about their record collection (looking at you Spiritualized, Primal Scream and Radiohead). It's a pleasing, natural variance that doesn't reek of showiness. Basically, not a duff track, and that's great enough.

This is exactly the sort of experience I was hoping for with the 1001 albums project. A band I had never heard of whose music was right in my wheelhouse. I had heard their single on the radio many years ago but the whole album is a banger. 4.5/5 stars

This has to be one of the worst album covers of all time. That transgression aside, this record is better than just about every other British alternative record I’ve encountered on this list thus far. It at least has some aggression…some chutzpah, if you will. They’re playing with a sense of urgency and reckless abandon unlike any of their mid-90’s British compatriots. That album cover is absolutely terrible, though… the dog’s breakfast. Bad enough that I wouldn’t even consider buying this album if I saw it in the store without having heard the music. I guess that’s why they say not to judge a book by its cover.

I was definitely losing interest during some tracks, but then just as I was about to note the track name down, they would change up the rhythm or instrumentation to grab my attention again and this was a running theme. I would say that I only really knew of ‘alright’ from this album before listening, and that track is probably the worst representation of what this album provides. This is classic brit-pop playfulness mixed with some rather Jammy basslines, solid riffy guitar work and a buttload of energy that tails off gently towards the albums final tracks. Quite mature themes for a band in their teens. Will probably come back to this album for long summer road trips or getting ready for a rowdy night on the tiles.

Alright

Ah, air-heady positive wholesome indie fun. Not wholesome in a twee moth-eaten sort of way, but in a youthful exhuberant summery sort of way. Two well-known tracks to sing along to, and the rest zips along with fresh speed. More than a three? No

i love this shieeet

Gosh, this is fun. I love the energy of this album. Catchy and tuneful, but also totally rocks. Starts fun and punchy, ends sweetly. This is Britpop masterfully done. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Sofa (of My Lethargy), Time, Alright, Time to Go, Mansize Rooster, Lose It, She's So Loose, Caught by the Fuzz, Sitting Up Straight, We're Not Supposed To, Lenny, Strange Ones, I'd Like to Know

It's just a fun album. Distinctly of its era in the 90s. I surprised this one has passed my by until now. Lots of variation in the songs. Lots of energy in the first half of the album, and then it slows down in the latter half and has some more noticeable instrumentation. There's a little bit of Beatles in this album. Fun pop music that you can still take seriously. I imagine this band would have been awesome to see live during this era 4/5

Enjoyed second half of album more. Reminds me of Buzzcocks but slightly more melodic with more accessible grooves.

Wank. Apart from the anthemic "We Are Young" there's not much to set this apart from any of the sub standard 90s Brit pop. The heavier numbers however, do make them sound like a bit of a British Green Day which isn't a compliment btw.

Things I was doing in 1995: - playing a lot of NHL '94. - touring with a band in the back of a van around the northeastern US. - eating poorly. - holding down a tech support job during the day which funded the rest of said list. Things I was not doing in 1995: listening to pop/punk. So I missed this one although kind of surprising considering how embedded I (thought I) was into the current music scene, almost by necessity. I do like the songs "Alright" and "Time To Go" - nice melodies - the keys on Alright are a nice instrumental change-up and Time To Go is a great pace slowdown from the rest of the album but on the whole it is not in my wheelhouse, being fast-paced shouty punk-ish music. I'll give a nod to the fact that it's much more melodic than I might have expected but its never-ending frenetic pace is just too much for me. This one I can see how others would like but not my cup of tea (tea very much a pointed analogy. they're British? get it? of course you do.). 4/10 2 stars.

Why album generator, do you insist on giving me albums that are terrible? Punk/ska. Really? I couldn’t listen to this.

meh, Supergrass is another band for people that like shit like U2 and DMB.

Britpop at it's peak and it totally rules. Just such a large sound being used to the full extent of it's abilities. It feels like they frontloaded all the good songs though, because it ends up losing some steam after Lenny. Still worth a full listen though; the Britpop history is a fascinating one which I'm happy to explore outside of the usual Blur and Oasis records.

I had to go back and gave it a second run-through just to be sure but it turns out, this is a pretty good album. I started skeptical but, the more I listened to it the more I ended up really digging it. The songs are fun, the production is great, and the guitar tones are truly exceptional. I'm honestly shocked that this wasn't on my radar before now.

I Should Coco is collection of fun, catchy pop songs, which are done in a variety of styles. This was Supergrass's first album, and the members were all teenagers when the album recorded. These songs are teenage anthems - celebrations of the joy and frustration of youth. That said, these songs are not juvenile or simplistic. The songs are interesting and varied, showing the band's wide range of influences and surprising range.

Surprisingly good. High energy fast paced music, and a hint of Beatles so you don't have too much fun. Liked Lose It the most

High energy album with a lot of cool riffs.

This was overall pretty enjoyable. Favorite track: "Mansize Rooster," probably.

It’s like.. on the verge of being amazing. But not quite. I liked it a lot though.

What is the perfect barometer for a person’s snobbishness, elitist music taste, and all-round dickishness? Take it from me: it’s their response to hearing Supergrass for the first time. Let me tell you a story- in my final days of university, things were finally starting to work out with an absolutely beautiful girl who I’d had a crush on for three years. It was the day we’d just completed our final exams, and we spent that afternoon in our own perfect bubble, hanging out in the rafters of one of the drama studios, playing each other some of our favourite songs through the PA. At some point in the day, she cued up Supergrass’s “Mansize Rooster”. She nestled up close to me, bopping her head along and telling me how brilliant it was that the band were only fifteen when they wrote it. My response? To sniff “…yes, you can tell.” Perhaps the band’s frenetic brand of guitar-based Britpop didn’t gel with my idea of a romantic afternoon. Perhaps I was feeling whiplash from the abrupt tempo changes and mistook it for amateurish songwriting. Perhaps I was just bitter that my teenage years were well and truly over, and none of them had been spent topping the charts or releasing seminal albums. Overall, it’s no surprise that I was wrong to sniff: “I Should Coco” is a fantastic album. While other albums from the Britpop age may have remained more in cultural consciousness (Oasis) or aged better artistically (Blur, or Pulp) “I Should Coco” remains a generational classic. Rather than gently easing the listener in, it hits the ground galloping with “I’d Like To Know”, forcing us to join the band’s pace. “Caught by the Fuzz”, “Lenny”, and yes, “Mansize Rooster”, are adrenaline fuelled, sharp yet sugary rock classics. Gaz Coombes’ rapid fire vocals in “Sitting Up Straight” - nigh-on impossible to sing along to - are genuinely impressive. Elsewhere, “We’re Not Supposed To”, with its daft helium vocals and cutesy delivery, is a convincing “Hunky Dory”-era Bowie tribute. Even “Alright”, a song that soundtracked the decade and would eventually grate on even the band from sheer overexposure, has its place here. The band don’t turn their hand to many other styles or ideas- there are no convincing ballads here, for example- but it’s so flippant and fun that it’s probably for the best. As for the band’s legacy… fear not! There are some happy endings in the world: thirty years on from “I Should Coco”’s release, the band still enjoy critical renown and have reformed to play the album in full to rejoicing Britpoppers old and young. And seven years on from that fateful afternoon in the rafters of the drama studio, that beautiful girl is still by my side, living through the days with me, and we had a joyful time listening to “I Should Coco” ahead of this review. “Alright” indeed!

Top end of a 3, this one. Really liked the energy and had a bit of edge to it. I really don't like Alright though, find it really grating despite its popularity!  Can definitely tell that loads of the indie bands from the early 200s listened to stuff like this, it's definitely got more attitude and oomph than most Britpop (but it's not as catchy as Oasis or as clever as Pulp).

This felt like a record that would have come out in 2005, not 1995. Was a fun, but not amazing listen.

“I Should Coco” by Supergrass (1995) Well, this is fun. In the genre of unserious rock, this competent trio entertains the listener with artfully executed shallowness. It can be described as thin slices of nothing you’ve never heard before, pasted together with deliberate incoherence, producing an overall effect of “Oh, what the hell.” Musically, we have up tempo compositions with good rhythm guitar, better bass, and not quite so good drums. Lyrics are frequently an inscrutable pastiche of conversational tidbits that don’t quite rise to the level of wit—but that’s okay, because this is all about fun anyway. Lots of lyrical references to what is “strange”, indicating both a fixation and a certain naive lust for life, but hey, these are kids. The track “Strange Ones” is almost interesting. Along with “Sitting Up Straight”, it’s a song that starts off with musical potential before quickly crashing back into unalloyed silliness. I enjoyed listening to this, but I don’t think I’ll ever listen to it again. 2/5

Meh. I couldn't get through a single playthrough. I have got to believe that there are at least 1001 albums in the world better than this one. Sure, I recognized 'Alright', but it sounded nothing like the rest of the album. If that was the only song that got this album on the list, then I'm really lost. I did appreciate that the related wikipedia page taught me about cockney rhyming slang, so at least I've got that going for me.

If you were to tell a computer to take 1,000 punk records from the 90s-00s and make a new punk record that is the exact average of all those, it would be this record. The most formulaic, by-the-number punk record with absolutely nothing of note here whatsoever

Actually really good! I kind of guessed it would be a 90s power pop/alt rock scenario, but I didn't expect that I would like it so much. Fuzzy, and feels like it's wearing a massive grin the entire time. Favorite tracks: "Lose It", "Time", "Sofa of My Lethargy"

4,5/5

Damn good record. I love Supergrass

Nice one! Very much like "Strange Ones" and "Mansize Rooster". Will have to listen to this more, but seems very influential on the entire 90s brit rock scene.

Great brit pop/rock ALLLLLRIGHT

Love this album. There were a few songs I knew from hearing before but the whole album was solid. A few slightly annoying bits but it's an album with a distinct sound and feel.

Familiarity: 0/10 Notes: wow. Did not expect to love this album so much. Split finely between 90s britpunk and a jammed out exploration bordering Beatles territory, I Should Coco is an incredibly well put together album that continued to exceed my expectations one track after the other all the way through to the end. Real Rating: 8.5/10

Another great find in this list. Loved it.

This was great! I need more Supergrass in my life!

love it Gaz Coombes reminds me of late great Jay Reatard. I knew of the song "Alright" But its rad to hear the other jams too.

Aaaaaaaaaaahg

This is some fantastic brit-punk. 'Alright' fits in easily with the later sounds of the early 2000's pop-punk / indie-pop from the likes of Fun! and MGMT. Lenny is a song that plays harder, heavier. Strange Ones fluctuates through different tempo changes, not really sitting still in a completely different way than Sitting up Straight, which blasts through its run time at a breakneck pace. By the time Sofa (Of My Lethargy) comes around, we've entered a grand psychedelic sprawl. Overall, a tight record, with excellent production, instrumentation, and track layout.

Good fun. Nice mix of punk, Indie and 60s hippy. Did I have Man Sized Rooster in tape 25 years ago..?

The perfect energy booster.

13. I should Coco - Supergrass - 13 Tracks. I like Supergrass so am biased, but this is an album where strength of big tracks isn't diminished by relative weakness of others. It's a proper album. Listen to it soon! I'm about to play it again right now. 5/5.

Britpop gem.

This album is so great! I think I've heard most of these songs individually in other contexts, but had never listened to this entire album before. I can't believe it's as old as it is.

I can totally see this being a defining album of modern Britpop. See a lot of inspiration for libertines courteneers etc

Biased, but I love this album.

Really great. This album helps to salvage my opinion of 90s rock music. Kinda like punk/pop punk at times, except they are actually good at their instruments and can write songs that involve more than just four basic-ass barre chords. Side question: why is UK rock music astronomically better than US rock music? I grew up in the wrong country

i don't know what it is about this album, i just LOVE it. it's not even like a quintessential masterpiece, it's just fun, upbeat, and charming. makes me happy.

Loved this one. Start to finish. A great blend of ‘90s Brit-Pop and Garage.

every single song on this fucking slapped. makes me want to cruise around the english coast with the lads

most underrated britpop album

I really like Brit-pop and this has got to be one of the most energetic and fun albums in the genre.

Really good and very British

A classic

I vibed with it. I really liked the keys (as usual) in addition to the whole feel of the album. A few of the songs felt like misses to me, but the rest of the songs more than made up for those. Every song felt unique, and I thoroughly enjoyed this album. Favorite track: Alright

This is the only punk, britpop album that I like. 5

Loved it

Otroligt bra?? Hur har jag aldrig hört talas om det här??

1995, дебютный альбом группы. Брит-поп, задорно и жизнерадостно. Топовый сингл: Alright - гимн молодости.

Catchy, punky Britpop that I found enjoyable to listen to. I recognized Alright immediately - great song! The whole album was fun to listen to. Really representative of the mid-90s. Filled with perfect soundtrack options here for your next 90s film. Definitely worth the listen! Favorites: Caught by the Fuzz, Alright, Strange Ones, She’s So Loose, Time, Sofa of my Lethargy

Let me preface this review with a couple of facts that may have biased my listening experience today. First of all, I had half of a cup of coffee this morning, after being caffeine-free for at least a month. Also, I purchased some really awesome new Chaco's today. So, honestly, I was so giddy while listening that I may have given 90 minutes of a doorbell ringing a 5/5. Despite my anticipation that I would not be excited by this mid-90s Britpop album when it showed up, I really had fun listening to the album. It captured my interested from start to finish.

I'd Like To Know is probably the best introduction to a debut album ever! This album surely is a tribute to their parent's recited collections. Frenetic fun from a band that was a step above the other Britpop purveyors.

Really good

I remember this album when it was super famous, but I only remember "Alright". The fact is that the whole album is wonderful, it totally deserves to be on this list.

Absolute blinder of an album, it never fails to make me happy.

喜欢最后两首歌。前面的太激烈了，不适合我

Incredible vibes

Off the bat very cool like the energy, like the vocals, very cool instrumental choices. really like the playfulness. Very memorable 8.5/10

Good music

Un de mes albums préférés de tout les temps

So imperial, and at such a young age. One of the most impressive and energetic debuts you can hear out there, especially if you're interested in brit-pop--savvy yet fresh and unpretentious, sophisticated yet rolling on all cylinders. Classy. Number of albums left to review: 736 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 131 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 65 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 69

classic

9/10 - Great album, already like supergrass and will listen again

I genuinely don't understand how Supergrass (or Franz Ferdinand while we're talking about it) could be considered Britpop when Britpop is so awful yet these albums shine so spectaculary. I remember when I got In It for the Money I was genuinely surprised how good it was, but this is even better. No song here is filler, and the shock of knowing a song, that being Alright, without actually knowing who it's by was a good kind of whiplash. Just genuinely super enjoyable. There may have been a small dip in the middle of the album, but not enough to hinder the album at all.

This album was great, has made me a new supergrass fan!

Very fun and electric UK punk. Many great songs and a common tempo throughout. Will listen more often!

originally thought this was going to be a buzzcocks/jam/beatles tribute experience but lots of originality in the songwriting and great twists and turns make this a great listen due for repeat visits.

тожк классика, но хит только alrigth

Here's another big local band I've never really given much of a listen to. In fact the only song I knew from this album was "Alright", a song I've heard so much but always thought was just "okay". I guess I had kind of accepted the band for their biggest songs. This album slapped throughout though - there were a lot of faster paced punk tracks that I absolutely wasn't expecting. It slowed down a bit at times but I still think this is a five star record. Additionally I think I listened to it the way it was intended to be listened to - driving with the windows down on a sunny Oxfordshire Thursday; it made for the perfect driving companion. How were Supergrass so underrated in the 90s britpop scene? Favourite: I'd Like To Know

An album which came out when I was seventeen which pretty much describes my life at the time? How could this not be a 5? Friends and I listened to this to death before heading into town with a packet of Marlboro Lights and a bottle of cheap high-stength cider. Good times! It occurs to be that I still have the sideburns I probably grew under the influence of this record, although I've toned them down a bit. It's strong pop punk with the flavour of 90s Britain all the way through. Christ this album has a rejuvenating effect on me. I really should put it back in my regular rotation!

This album is just banger after banger. Ending is maybe a little bit less crazy and energetic but still very fun.

Supergrass should have been bigger than Oasis - they had better songs and more talent, perhaps just lacked the swagger. This is a blindingly good debut. There are echoes of The Kinks, Beatles, Wire, The Ramones and The Jam in here, even a bit of Status Quo on 'Time'. Nothing describes youthful hijinks better than 'Caught by the Fuzz'. 'Alright' carries on the theme with it's honky tonk piano. 40 minutes of pure fun.

Such an excellent album. Soundtrack to our growing up families lives

10/10 absolutely amazing oh my god, I can’t tell you how much I love this

Classic British pop rock: I fucking love this album. Full of bangers and songs you can just sit back and vibe to. Opening with the song the horrible histories theme is based off and including all time classic “alright” giving me memories of the pirates stop motion animated film. Overall loved this record and will listen again.

As great as the first time I heard it. Alright still a classic.

Love it

Right up my alley. Only heard "Alright" before now, but the rest of the album whips hard as nails. Belter.

Dit album zou zo uit 2021/2022/2023 kunnen komen. Klinkt een beetje als Bongloard, Wodan Boys en Korfbal (om maar wat Nederlandse shit te pluggen hier). Ik vind dat gave muziek. Eerste helft is iets sterker dan de tweede helft, maar ik ga toch een 5 geven.

The best britpop album. Top tier stuff

What a great debut album. Masterful riffs

Fantastic and fun album. Hadn't heard of this before today, so was super hyped when "Alright" came on, which of course is a massive hit everyone knows.

Really good stuff, this has been the second time that Supergrass caught me by surprise.

I said that their sophomore album was solid but had a certain "it" factor that was missing... I think I've found it. This was rompin', varied, energetic, and bursting with unbridled youth from start to finish.