Reviews (page 6 of 8)
Some interesting production - some almost trip hop style songs, others more prog rocky. Singer also sounded like Chris Martin. Would probably not listen again.
Apart from one song I have mixed feelings. Is it something else than usual? Yes. Does it deserve the place on the list? Hmm... 2.5/5.
A very nice album. Pop / rock music of the highest quality. Beautiful melodies, lovely harmonies and quality songs. I'll be listening often and exploring their catalogue more deeply. 4 stars
not bad but nothing stuck either. could i write poetry to this? n
I couldn't figure out what this is supposed to be long enough to enjoy any of it. I just kept thinking of Donny and Marie Osmond wearing Daft Punk helmets while trying to sing Elvis Costello songs. That image is worth a half-star, bringing their total to one and one-half stars.
I never could get into this band. Seems like the sort of thing I'd like, but nothing ever quite sticks.
A really cool record from the britpop era that I had a great time listening to. Some of the experimental parts fell a little flat for me and fell into a bit of a silly annoying noises category, but some of them were lovely surprises, particularly the forays into styles of dance music and incorporation of record scratching just really amped up the level of fun you can have listening to this. The main highlights for me were the ballads on the backend of the album that may borrow a liiittle heavily from Blur's sound, but they do it justice so who gives a shit lol the songs are good. Overall had a great time and cherry on top I'm a big Rhys Ifans fan really cool to find out he was in this group for a time.
I actually thought this record was interesting in that the soundscape was very polar. At one point it would be soft, but then hit with abrasive synths which somehow managed to fit the tracks. Overall pretty good if I was looking for a slow psych listen. Never heard of these guys before.
sounds like a more interesting Flaming Lips mixed with a less interesting Flaming Lips 6/10
01) Alternate Route to Vulcan Street - 8,0 02) Sidewalk Serfer Girl - 7,5 03) (Drawing) Rings Around the World - 7,5 04) It's Not the End of the World? - 8,5 05) Receptacle for the Respectable - 7,0 06) [A] Touch Sensitive - 8,0 07) Shoot Doris Day - 7,0 08) Miniature - 6,0 09) No Sympathy - 7,0 10) Juxtapozed with U - 9,0 11) Presidential Suite - 7,5 12) Run! Christian, Run! - 7,5 13) Fragile Happiness - 7,0 TOTAL: 7,50 (75/100) Current ranking: 149/297
1. vulcan ztreet - 1 2. zerfer girl - 1 3. ringz - 0 4. uuorld - 1 5. rezpectable - 1 6. touch - 0 7. doriz - 0 8. miniature - 0 9. zympathy - 0 10. juztapozed - 1 11. prezidential - 1.5 12. chriztian - 1 13. happinezz - 1
This album really blew me away. I was very impressed by the seamless mix of different styles and genres. "Receptacle for the Respectable" and "No Sympathy" really stood out as amazing surprises. I loved every song but "Presidential Suite", which was the clear low point on the album. All that considered, 12/13 is pretty damn impressive. 4.8/5 -> 5/5
There were a couple tracks in the middle I liked, but most of this was just "fine".
Wanted to like it because I hear the David Bowie and Elvis Costello influences two artists I admire. But this didn’t click with me.
This list is "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" - which is not the same thing as "The 1001 Best Albums of All Time." I try to keep that in mind when listening to some of these that don't resonate with me. Surely there's something I'm missing, or something influential about the album or artist that makes it something worth hearing before I die. Sometimes I find that whatever-it-is. Sometimes I don't. This is a case of not finding it. There's nothing spectacular here. It's boring. There are moments where something catches your ear and you want them to lean into that more and then they go right back to being boring and uninteresting. Kind of a frustrating listen, honestly, because it's not terrible or one of those albums where I found myself counting down the songs until it ended, but I sure was relieved to put something else on when it ended. The musicianship is there, but clearly based on the fact that the latest Remaster includes 50 tracks and is over three and a half hours long, the focus was not. I didn't listen to the full remaster - I stopped at the end of "Fragile Happiness" which was the end of the OG 2001 release - and even that was too long.
What ever the hell this is.
More dull brit pop. Why do they insist on making such dull songs? Is it because it's gloomy there so much? Ugh.
Some fun times but really starts to drag towards the end
Nice to see this on the list, if a touch surprising: in my mind it's maybe SFA's 4th or 5th best record. And I don't mean that as a back-handed compliment; more a testament to the strength of the Furries' catalogue. Some surf-pop vibes. Some soaring ballads. A bit of a melancholy vein throughout. Still very inventive, still really good.
Some pretty neat tunes. No Sympathy stands out to me.
A dense, layered, multi genre album. It feels disingenuous to give this any kind of rating after one listen. Probably would take 4/5 listens to really appreciate the complexity of this album.
excellent album, really enjoyed the quirkiness of it. Would like to listen some more.
++: (Drawing) Rings Around the World, Respectable for the Respectable +: Alternate Route to Vulcan Street, [A] Touch Sensitive, No Sympathy, Juxtapozed with U, Presidential Suite, Run! Christian, Run! +-: Sidewalk Serfer Girl, It's Not the End of the World?, Shoot Doris Day, Miniature, Fragile Happiness 6,1/10
Album 505 of 1001 Super Furry Animals - Rings Around The World (2001) Rating : 2.75 / 5 This one was all over the map. Couldn't really peg it to any certain genre, which makes it even more interesting. It grew on my by the end. A little mood music with some great tracks slipped in there. Wikepedia: Musically Rings Around the World is an eclectic record incorporating pop, prog, punk, jungle, electronica, techno and death metal. Rhys has offered several explanations of the album's lyrical content, claiming the record is "about Earth, and the pollution of space" and also that it addresses the human condition. Critics meanwhile have referred to the record as "thematically eccentric" and lacking an "overarching theme". Critical reception was generally positive, with the album being nominated for 2001's Mercury Music Prize and placing at #1 in Mojo's "best albums of 2001" feature. Some reviews claimed it to be the best record of the band's career although the NME described it as the band's worst album.
A few songs weren't too bad, but overall, no.
This is the most like something I would listen to on my own so far and has some cool vibes, I can also appreciate the use of violin in alternative music. However, it wasn't worth the 3.75 hour commitment and most of the songs started out catchy and exciting and had me zoned out by the end
i don’t mess with the furries
Surprisingly great, way too fucking long though
3.5/5
Not bad, great background album
interesting...
Thoughts before listening: 00s era Brit pop band. I remember thinking at one point that I liked these guys, but I've gone back somewhat recently to revisit them only to find I don't recognize any of their songs. Maybe on a deeper listen something will click. Review: I like this quite a bit. There are some weird and unnecessary sound collage parts, but there are some great songs on here as well. This is truly a pleasant surprise. Lots of Beatlesesque melodies and harmonies throughout, with a fairly varied sound. I am certainly enjoying this more than I have other Brit pop bands like Blur. 4-stars
Not really sure what to make of this one. I didn't dislike it, I guess, but I certainly didn't like it either.
I started listening to this at work a few days earlier, but was feeling a bit burned out on new albums so only got about halfway through and didn't come back to it for a few days. I'm glad I came back a bit more refreshed, because this was super enjoyable. This thing has a really unique sound, it has moments where it kind of sounds like other artists (I got a Saint Motel vibe a few times), but for the most part it just sounds really fresh and interesting. I guess I'd call it like alt-rock, but it has a bunch of other sounds too (electronic, pop, metal, punk...). There are a few songs where it strays a bit beyond my enjoyment (a few of the electronic riffs linger a bit), but overall just a super enjoyable listen. This also has two of my favorite songs that I've heard recently on here, so the peak is high. "Juxtaposed with U" is just such a fun bouncy rock-soul track, it's been stuck in my head for days now. "It's Not the End of the World?" is a bit slower, but is also super strong. Awesome album overall, I enjoyed this a lot. Favorite song: Juxtaposed with U Other: Sidewalk Serfer Girl, (Drawing) Rings Around the World, It’s Not the End of the World, Shoot Doris Day, No Sympathy, Presidential Suite, Run! Christian Run! 8/10/24
Interesting but hard to sink your teeth into. Kept thinking I was listening to Damon Albarn.
Acid-induced drivel. Just because you have the idea to blend 5 different genres doesn’t mean you can execute that idea successfully. The thing is, Super Furry Animals *can* legitimately play, and there’s a moment or two that comes close to decency. The problem is that these aren’t songs, they’re just ideas and experimentation. Nothing here left anything close to an impression on me as a self-contained song. It’s not bad because it lacks talent, but rather, it’s bad because lacks cohesion, so the end product is just gobbledygook mush. And that’s maybe a worse offense, and makes for a more painful listen.
I didn’t really enjoy any of this. It felt amateur, artificial and often quite annoying.
Beneath the soft fuzzy exterior lurks a dark, sinister inside.
Excessive, mostly in a fun way.
it doesn't actually sound like olivia tremor control but corny but that is the feeling i get from it
pretty wide range of songs from boring to annoying to enjoyable on this one so I’m averaging it out to a three
There was a lot of fun and interesting stuff on this album, and it was certainly original. But I don't know if any of it really grabbed me. But it might grow on me with more listens
This album was all over the place stylistically, but really enjoyable to listen to. I'm not sure how much staying power this one will have, but my knee-jerk reaction was one of enjoyment, so that's how I ended up rating this one.
Super Furry Animals are so silly. I love an artist that doesn't take themselves seriously. With the question mark at the end of the title "It's Not the End of the World?" and the word play in "Juxtaposed With U" or the tongue-in-cheek attitude in "Presidential Suite", I honestly had a good time. Or even a weird song like "Run! Christian, Run!" being about death cults. I've heard SFA's debut, Fuzzy Logic, earlier in this project. Even though Rings Around the World was their first album under a major label, they have much of their vibe still. I hear more of an electronic aspect than before, but to be fair six years separate the albums. They still bounced around a lot of genres: one song had a Bon Jovi eighties vibe and another had a soulful seventies number. I don't know how SFA does it but they somehow do it right. 3.5
This album is probably one of the most eclectic and most genre-defying album I've heard on this project. Honestly, without even trying very hard, I can count about eight different genres represented on this album, and I'm sure I could come up with more if I try. There is honestly so much here to unpack, and so many unexpected twists and turns. This is the second and last Super Furry Animals album on this project, but in just two albums I have seen that this band does what they want and they do it well. Like on their previous album, I didn't hear anything that just blew me away, but nonetheless, I was impressed by their ability to dabble across so many different sounds coherently and interestingly.
this was fresh and funky for me
Consistent and enjoyable.
Not sure what to make of the whole thing, but it was interesting at least.
Was pretty forgettable until “No Sympathy” which was wild.
Fine. A few really good songs.
Mostly enjoyable 3.5
I’ve never heard this band and I’m surprised. It reminded me of Flaming Lips and, though I’m not sure why, New Pornographers, while the singer’s voice brought Damon Albarn’s to mind. Stylistically, it dabbles, so as an album, I don’t really detect a connecting thread other than that every song sounded somehow spacey. Like they made this album in 2000 on some other earth-like planet. I like it and probably would have liked it quite a bit in 2000. 3.8
This surprisingly slapped.
I hadn't heard of this album and judging by the first song, I didn't think I would like it. Turns out all the other songs are incredible and it's just that first song I don't like. In fact, the rest of this album is so good! It all works together making an album which sounds unique and works together. Favorite songs: Sidewalk Serfer Girl, It's Not The End Of The World, Shoot Doris Day, No Sympathy, Juxtaposed With U, Presidential Suite, Fragile Happiness
What a strange and wonderful album. So far, I'm five songs in and have enjoyed each one so far, despite the fact that most of these songs seem to come from different genres. Everything is well executed despite the massive diversity in sounds. Love the music, love the harmonies, love how I can never seem to wrap my mind around exactly what this album is 4/5
Lacked cohesion and was often annoying.
it was different and also diverse but i dont really know where they wanted to go. still had fun while listening!
Definitely worth a second listen. My interest started to fade near the end, but it was eclectic enough to keep me listening. Sort of like a modern take on ELO, with a variety of styles, and some interesting sections.
Overambitious effort from the SFA on their major label debut. Simultaneously wildly poppy (eg title track) and wilfully obscure (A Touch Sensitive). Not a bum note in their catalogue, nevertheless their fizzy off kilter debut on Creation debut was always going to make for impossible encores
Este album fue una completa sorpresa. Me ha encantado y no he parado de escucharlo desde el viernes. It's not the end of the qorld y Presidential Suit han pasado a ser mis favoritas
Cool and unexpected. What are they outting in the water down there in Cymru?
Что то супер странное, не без прикола
Bit weird, but generally didn’t mind this
Was expecting to dislike this after their other album, but it was actually alright. An interesting mix of songs. Feeling generous with the rating.
This album strikes a more laid-back tone compared to their previous release on this list, and I find that I prefer it. Perhaps this is because the mellow vibe perfectly matched the lovely sunny weather I enjoyed while listening to it. Juxtapozed with U was the track I enjoyed the most
I started off liking it than I got a bit bored but I didn’t hate it. Would listen again.
Au début j’étais zéro plus une barre convaincue que ça allait être bon. Vraiment, l’oppener est la pire toune qu’ils aurait pu mettre, parce que le reste est tellement meilleurs et audacieux niveau arrangement sonore et mix de style. Ça me fait penser à du Blur avec une touche de techno à la Justice, donc des bons gigots de zique
This does a lot of stuff competently, and it is a unified work despite the disparate genres. Unfortunately the common thread is it sounds just like these boys doing metal, electronica, folk etc. The singing is not good nor is it a bad singer like mick jagger making awesome music within his limitations. Nice puns. Hard to figure out which track listing is remotely the album vs the DVD video vs the special edition ad nauseum.
Super furry animals son una banda única, y este disco es su mejor compendio. Ya con la apertura de Alternate Route to Vulcan Street indica que estás ante un disco diferente. No es hasta (Drawing) Rings Around the World que uno se encuentra con algo parecido a una canción convencional, radiable. Fue uno de los sencillos publicados del disco junto con Juxtapozed with U, el primer adelanto, una canción radiante que resuena a soul del bueno, y It's Not the End of the World? que trata sobre la extinción humana. [A] Touch Sensitive es un precioso interludio, como Miniature. Shoot Doris Day es lo que Lenny Kravtiz lleva buscando desde su infancia (tiene una melodía similar al Fields of joy). Paul McCartney interviene masticando apio y zanahorias en la ¿extraña? Receptable for the Respectable. No sympathy es otra delicia, mezcla una melodía y armonías folk con ritmos electrónicos y todo encaja. Sorprenden el country psicodélico de Run! Christian, Run! y el cierre onírico de Fragile happiness En el año del revival garagero con Is this it de los Strokes y White blood cells de los White Stripes como punta de lanza, así como otros discos estupendos: el canto del cisne de Bjork con Vespertine, Rock action, el album verde de Weezer, Rock action, Origin of symmetry, Morning view, Gold, The Invisible Band... (otros discos notabes también fueron Love and theft, Hallelujah! de La Buena Vida o el segundo de Manu Chao) y con la electrónica a pleno rendimiento ya fuera por vía experimental (Amnesiac), estética (Discovery, los debuts de Gorillaz, Zero 7) o simplemente lúdica (Fever de Kilye...) ese mismo año publican Madredeus el sugerente Movimento (en 2002 fusionarán su estilo con la electrónica en, precisamente, Electronico) este disco suena de otra dimensión. Otro universo paralelo en el que podrían caber The Flaming Lips, Animal Collective, The Beta Band y unos pocos chiflados más...
OK, of its time. 2.5 stars
This sounded much older than it actually is. This did nothing for me but I didn’t hate it. 2.5/5
It was fine. 2.5.
(Drawing) Rings Around the World Juxtapozed with U
Background music that was grounded to to the back. 4/10
Meh
It was okay
I listened to this with my husband and we both thought it had more of a 90s sound. It was okay but I didn’t really care to pay a ton of attention to it.
Alright
STANDOUTS: Sidewalk Serfer Girl (Drawing) Rings Around the World It's Not the End of the World? Juxtapozed With U OVERALL: 3/5; shockingly, I liked it more than I thought I would!
I enjoyed this quite a bit and have only had limited exposure to this band. I'll have to give it some more listens.
A great baroque Brit pop album with wonderful arrangements.
Nothing amazing, has some high moments and equally low ones. Felt like they tried to hit to many genres
Sure!
had a couple notable moments (juxtapozed with U) but overall pretty corny and dreadful
It’s ok
3/4
Blidning - realistically a 4.5* but I'll round it down just because the lack of an overall structure lets it down a smidge. I'm a big fan of how chaotic it is though. It gave me the same feeling I get when I'm walking through a fairground and there are always a dozen different things happening at once. Definitely deserves a second-pass
I enjoyed the variation of style, nothing really stood out to me though
Probably one of the more interesting albums that didn't about the crap or if me. Chill at parts, weird at others, but pretty good overall. 4/5
i liked this more than i thought i would. great balance of uk pop and prog rock.
That's quite a mix of styles. Some parts I didn't like, but a lot more that I did enjoy
Kinda has Gorillaz vibes . It’s it Gorillaz people ?
3.5
Super Furry Animals’ debut was on this a while ago and that was my first time really listening to them. The songs were pretty good but the production was just so phasey and annoying, and made everything just sound pretty rubbish. Fortunately the production was a lot cleaner and more interesting on this - on the other hand though, the songwriting was more hit and miss for me, with the bigger singles in particular not really doing anything for me. A mixed bag for sure
I like this album. I've enjoyed listening to it, which I've done quite a lot. But it's not grabbed me. There are no songs I've found running round my head, or which I want to play again straight after. So it's a high 3 for me.
This was a fun album. I enjoyed the vibe and really enjoyed some of the lyrics. It was fun!
holy shit! fell in love with this album listening to it, that I decided to listen to the 2-part super deluxe 6.5 hour edition of the album and it was so much fun! absolutely love this - 10/10
Rather enjoyable, even if it was rather fury.
I'd never heard this, nice to have a dose of SFA. They sound a little like Welshy Blur on this record. I was gung-ho for it first listen but less so second time around, still giving it a 4 though.
I liked it a lot more than I expected going in. A lot of fun and a lot of tracks I think I’ll be going back to. Also cool to listen to a Welsh band. It’s crazy how much the singer sounds like Damon Albarn at points. Rating: 4.5
4.5!
**Rings Around The World** von Super Furry Animals ist ein Album, das sich durch seine experimentellen Klänge und genreübergreifenden Einflüsse auszeichnet. Obwohl es von vielen Kritikern gelobt wird, hat es bei mir nicht den gewünschten Eindruck hinterlassen. Die Komplexität und Vielfalt der Songs wirken oft überladen und zu chaotisch. Trotz einiger interessanter Momente fehlt es dem Album an Kohärenz und einem durchgängigen roten Faden. Ingesamt hat es mich nicht überzeugt.
Wow, that album art is not promising. I was totally expecting another shitty British drum n bass album, but it's just a bland early aughts Welsh alt-rock band. This reminds me of someone who pretends to have taken acid before but they're just going off what they think it would feel like based on having heard Flaming Lips and the one time they got way too high on weed. Best thing I can say about this is that there are some interesting things going on hidden among the layers, the problem is that they're covered by so many other layers that it just turns to shit. I probably would've loved this back when it came out when I was 15. The fact that the 20th Anniversary Edition is two volumes on Apple Music and comprises of almost 7 hours of tracks kind of just sums up how annoying this is. It's not even all that terrible, but it is incredibly tiresome. Could've been a solid 2, but as I write this, I'm only halfway through the original 13 tracks and I'm not sure how much more of this I can listen to. The UK bias wins again, but it's not a win for me.
Gear: Hifiman Arya Artwork: Nope. Mix: Nope. Musik: Nope. Wertung: 🙅/5
Meh
Sounds okay, pretty generic BritPop
Wasn't a fan of first couple of songs, but kept listening and got better and better. I remember them from mid-90s, but never got into them too much. Gonna go search for more of their stuff. 3.5
This was a great surprise, never heard of them and I really enjoyed it. They play with genre really effectively, and the songs can be very silly but it feels very authentic.
Rings Around The World is all over the place, from dreamy pop to electronica. As if Blur was the band at margaritaville at times. Nothing really sticks. The last third of the album might be the best part, Run, Christian Run is the highlight. 4.7/10
This album can't decide what genre of music it wants to be. This is the second Super Furry Animals album I've got on this generator, the first being Fuzzy Logic, their debut album. This one feels more cohesive at least, but still couldn't hold my interest. I don't see much of a difference between this and the plethora of other boring britpop bands that this generator seems to love. The cover art looks like something a 9 year old created in MS Paint in 2 minutes. Favourite songs: Sidewalk Serfer Girl, (Drawing) Rings Around the World Least favourite songs: No Sympathy 2/5
Pretty forgettable. Juxtaposed with you is a great track though
Echt nice and chill
### "Rings Around the World" by Super Furry Animals: An In-Depth Review **Introduction** "Rings Around the World," released in 2001, is the fifth studio album by the Welsh band Super Furry Animals. Known for their eclectic and innovative approach to music, the band delivered an ambitious project that blends genres, sophisticated production, and thought-provoking lyrics. This review delves into the album's lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence, and also evaluates its strengths and weaknesses. **Lyrics** The lyrical content of "Rings Around the World" is a rich tapestry of social commentary, surreal imagery, and introspective musings. Gruff Rhys, the band's lead vocalist and primary lyricist, explores a variety of themes with wit and poignancy. 1. **Social Commentary**: Tracks like "Receptacle for the Respectable" and "No Sympathy" tackle consumerism and societal apathy. In "No Sympathy," Rhys sings, "There’s no sympathy for the devil / And no sympathy for the poor," a biting critique of modern society's lack of empathy. 2. **Environmental Concerns**: The title track, "Rings Around the World," reflects on the environmental impact of human activity. The lyrics, "We got the rings around the world / We got the strings that pull the world," metaphorically suggest both the global reach of human influence and the consequential strain on the planet. 3. **Surreal and Abstract Imagery**: Songs like "Sidewalk Serfer Girl" and "Presidential Suite" showcase Rhys's ability to weave surreal narratives. "Presidential Suite" references political scandals with a whimsical twist, blending real-world events with absurdist humor. 4. **Personal and Reflective**: "It's Not the End of the World?" touches on personal resilience and optimism in the face of adversity. The chorus, "It's not the end of the world / No, not even close," serves as a reassuring reminder of perseverance. **Music** The musical landscape of "Rings Around the World" is vast and varied, showcasing the band's versatility and experimentation. 1. **Genre-Blending**: The album fuses rock, pop, electronic, and orchestral elements. Tracks like "Juxtapozed with U" mix funk and soul influences, creating a catchy, groove-laden sound. 2. **Innovative Arrangements**: The band employs unconventional song structures and diverse instrumentation. "Receptacle for the Respectable" evolves through multiple sections, including a Beach Boys-inspired harmony breakdown and a heavy metal finale. 3. **Melodic Richness**: Super Furry Animals are known for their strong melodies, and this album is no exception. Songs like "It's Not the End of the World?" and "Juxtapozed with U" are instantly memorable, thanks to their compelling hooks and harmonious vocals. 4. **Textural Depth**: The album features a rich tapestry of sounds, from the lush string arrangements in "Run! Christian, Run!" to the electronic bleeps and bloops in "Shoot Doris Day." This sonic diversity keeps the listener engaged and showcases the band's technical prowess. **Production** The production of "Rings Around the World" is polished and ambitious, reflecting the band's desire to push boundaries. 1. **High Fidelity**: The album was one of the first to be simultaneously released on CD and DVD, with the latter offering high-definition audio and visual content. This commitment to quality is evident in the pristine sound of the album. 2. **Collaborative Effort**: Produced by the band alongside Chris Shaw, known for his work with Bob Dylan and Public Enemy, the album benefits from Shaw's expertise in capturing diverse sounds and blending them seamlessly. 3. **Innovative Techniques**: The production incorporates a wide array of studio effects and techniques. From the phasing and flanging effects on "Sidewalk Serfer Girl" to the reversed guitar loops on "No Sympathy," the album is a playground of audio experimentation. 4. **Attention to Detail**: Each track is meticulously crafted, with layers of instrumentation and subtle nuances that reveal themselves upon repeated listens. This attention to detail enhances the overall listening experience and underscores the band's dedication to their craft. **Themes** "Rings Around the World" explores a variety of themes, many of which are interconnected and reflective of the band's worldview. 1. **Globalization and Environmentalism**: The album frequently addresses the impact of globalization and the corresponding environmental consequences. The title track and "Run! Christian, Run!" both highlight the tension between progress and preservation. 2. **Technology and Isolation**: Songs like "Juxtapozed with U" and "No Sympathy" explore the double-edged sword of technological advancement, which brings people together yet often fosters a sense of isolation and disconnection. 3. **Political Satire**: "Presidential Suite" and "Receptacle for the Respectable" contain pointed political commentary, using satire and absurdity to critique contemporary political figures and systems. 4. **Human Experience**: At its core, the album is a reflection on the human condition, with songs that touch on love, loss, hope, and despair. This thematic breadth makes the album relatable and emotionally resonant. **Influence** "Rings Around the World" has left a lasting impact on both fans and fellow musicians. Its innovative approach to production and genre-blending has been influential in the indie and alternative music scenes. 1. **Critical Acclaim**: The album was well-received by critics, praised for its ambition and creativity. It has been included in several "best of" lists, cementing its status as a significant work in the band's discography. 2. **Inspiring Musicians**: The album's eclectic style and production techniques have inspired a generation of musicians to experiment with their sound. Bands like The Flaming Lips and Animal Collective have drawn comparisons to Super Furry Animals' innovative approach. 3. **Cultural Impact**: Beyond its musical influence, the album's themes of globalization, environmentalism, and technological impact resonate with contemporary societal issues, making it a culturally significant work. **Pros and Cons** **Pros:** 1. **Eclectic and Innovative Sound**: The album's genre-blending and experimentation make it a standout in the band's catalog and the broader music landscape. 2. **Strong Lyrics**: Gruff Rhys's lyrical prowess shines throughout, offering insightful commentary and vivid imagery. 3. **High Production Quality**: The meticulous production and attention to detail result in a polished and immersive listening experience. 4. **Diverse Themes**: The album's exploration of globalization, technology, politics, and human experience provides depth and relevance. **Cons:** 1. **Overambitious at Times**: The album's complexity and eclecticism might be overwhelming for some listeners, making it less accessible. 2. **Inconsistent Pacing**: The varied styles and shifts in tone can result in a disjointed listening experience for those seeking a more cohesive narrative. 3. **Niche Appeal**: While critically acclaimed, the album's experimental nature may not appeal to mainstream audiences. **Conclusion** "Rings Around the World" by Super Furry Animals is a landmark album that showcases the band's creativity, technical skill, and willingness to push boundaries. Its rich lyrical content, innovative music, and polished production make it a standout work that continues to influence and inspire. While its ambitious scope and eclectic style may not be for everyone, it remains a significant and enduring piece of the early 2000s music scene. The album's exploration of relevant themes such as globalization, technology, and the human condition ensures its continued relevance and impact.
Probably 3.5 stars. Lots of interesting music, but better in small doses.
The second time I’ve gotten an album by this band that I had never heard of before this project. The first album I heard of theirs, I thought was fine, nothing special, gave it a three. But this one slaps! I’m not sure how they never entered into my awareness with this one. A blend of styles, kind of futuristic psychedelic pop. Good listen.
This is definitely an album that requires several listens to fully absorb. Stylistically, it moves all over the place the ambition of the album is very much intentional and really requires your attention. Genres shift significantly even within songs. No where is that more dramatic than the sweet folk of 'No Sympathy' that morphs into a chaotic acid-tinged drill n bass song. It's a clear highlight for me, along with the title track and 'Receptacle for the Respectable'. The latter is another genre bending track, featuring the likes of Paul McCartney munching on vegetables against poppy rock n roll before diving into a heavy metal influenced breakdown. The more I listen to this album, the more I enjoy it. I'd love to hear the surround mix one day.
A decent little rocker.
Shades of ELO and other 70’s here
Light, funky
super clever and i bet they would be my favorite band if i wasn’t me
Nice psychedelic vibes
Nooo i furry nooo
Super Furry Animals gets it. They meandered a lot on their first album but this shows a lot of growth for the band, especially in the songwriting department. They never quite shook off their psychedelic influences, but their willingness to experiment with new sounds has improved their sound tenfold. The Super Furry Animals of the 2000s is tons more interesting that the Super Furry Animals of the '90s, and I love them for it. Is the album a bit all over the place? Sure, but it can be forgiven for all the moments that made me think "wow, these guys were ballin'!" I love it when an album is fully realized like this. Sounds great.
I loved this album when it first came out. Sidewalk Serfer Girl and Receptacle for the Respectable are six star songs frankly. In any civilised era, SFA would have been Beatles level big.
This was surprisingly chill, had it on in the background and never really found anything affronting or annoying about it. Probably wouldn’t come back to it, but a perfectly fine album.
This is my second and last Super Furry Animals album to review. I thought Fuzzy Logic was okay, and I expected more of the same on this album. However, I really didn’t care for this album much. Like Fuzzy Logic, this album was pretty diverse in its sound, but Rings just didn’t have the cohesiveness that Fuzzy Logic did. Musically, I just didn’t enjoy listening to this album very much. The highlight for me was the title track; it reminded me of something you’d find on Pet Sounds. It was experimental and strange, but it was still melodic and pleasant to listen to, and I thought the phone sounds at the end were a nice touch. The lyrics were fine, but again, there was a real lack of cohesion from song to song. Sidewalk Serfer Girl’s lyrics and the title track were probably the best of the bunch, the rest of the songs felt like they were weird just for the sake of being weird, and it came off as pretentious. This album just didn’t do it for me, and I think I’ve had my fill of this band.
I thought this was a lovely album. Great set of songs, very consistent. I'll listen to this again, definitely.
Best leuk, maar net niet. Lekker diverse nummers
I listened to it, but I don't remember it at all
I think about Sper Furry Animals as another britpop act. Members of a scene. Maybe a little more psychedelic than their peers. So, when I saw the release date of this album (2001), I thought about other acts leading the musical discourse by then: The Strokes, The Libertines, etc., and did not have many expectations. By that time, I had only listened to "Juxtaposed by you" but thought it was a full album released to support that minor hit and that was all. I was wrong. This album sounded more like Dandy Warhols or Brian Jonestown Massacre than Supergrass. I enjoyed it. However, the unanswered question was, again, why should I listen to it before I die? What's the argument? Was it necessary? Well, besides a good time, I don't see any other reason.
- quite a mix. almost metal vocals at times - interesting stuff. the spotify description said a mix of genres and they were quite right - instrumentation is cool, a little bit noise music at times (not in a bad way) - [A] touch sensitive has similar synth at parts to that song ethel cain likes, the same airplaney vibe - no sympathy is seven minutes long but i love the acceleration in it, accel to more electronic & distorted is fun. - ok this goes to very noise. - like.. 3/5? deserves another listen
Day113 - better than i thought something called super furry animals would be
I really liked a lot of this. It's the bass that does it on many of the tracks.
Didn't give a shit about this really. Found it quite bland tbh and then some strange stuff in the middle. Didn't mind the last couple of songs but overall didn't feel cohesive. Not my bag
Absolute rubbish, just felt like a waste of time, like someone told them 'just make an album, doesn't matter what it's like'
Ok
This seems all over the place but not in a good way. I could've just not been in the mood and missed something better here but I'm not sure about the quality of this one.
Have you ever visited family or friends around lunchtime and as a good host they offer you something to eat? They present you with a salad, and it has a couple of things in it that don't make sense, like they just threw together left overs.
I think that this another case of mistaken identity. I assumed that Super Furry Animals were a novelty kids band, like the Wombles. However, they turn out to be a sort of Welsh psychedelic, shoe gazy, dubstep version of the Beach Boys with songs morphing from mellow piano introductions into glitchy electronica without pausing for breath. One track even features Paul McCartney chewing celery in the background. Enjoyably bonkers!
Pretty annoying pop-rock trying to be innovative mixing different bits (in both sense) but failing to produce anything much interesting to listen to. Sometimes it's even painful when they take out brass instruments and mellow singing. There are few interesting parts, but not enough to grab my attention. And it's long and sometimes pompous.
Again, a new discovery for me. Great stylistic variety.
I could write an essay on this one if I had the time. It’s a fantastic listen all the way through. Genre-bending throughout, the path the listener is taken on is completely unpredictable. And yet, each turn kind of makes sense to me. For example, “No Sympathy” is a quiet acoustic track, with anger bubbling underneath as the lyrics repeat “I have no sympathy for you”. In the last two minutes, the sound slowly transforms into what I could only describe as an electronic freak out, or possibly a laser gunfight. The next track “Juxtapoze with u” hilariously slides into a sunny 70s R&B groove, and the lyrics remind us we have to “tolerate the people we hate,” juxtaposing this with the previous track’s lyrics AND music. There is really no part of this to pick apart. The songs are good, bolstered by the production. Dynamics, instrumentation, song structures, it’s all interesting. Not one time during this album did I think, “I’ve heard this before.” Had it at a 4/5 but the back half of the album really sealed it as a 5/5. Loved this album!
Bien
Uninteressant.
One of the more interesting bands to emerge during the BritPop era, SFA never quite followed the rules and their sound was richer for it. Personally, I’d pick Radiator as there best but here is a perfectly good album which showcases their range of musical interests.
Interesting. Glad I listened to it but probably won’t be a regular.
Nope, First I thought meh, but it's just boring and I started to actively dislike it...
What a fantastic album. I knew of the Super Furries but had never listened to an album before. Error.
I love this album and have loved it since it came out. I never got much into other Super Furry Animals albums, but this album is a brilliant mix of so many different sounds and styles of songs, and I think every single one is great. Many songs are just beautiful, many are funny, and many groove or rock with great riffs and hooks.
Really original and interesting album, wish I'd discovered this at the time.
Never heard before - nice sounds - only Rings Around the World stood out for me though…
Wonderful album, I could listen to some of the tracks on this all day. SFA are great.
Kinda dug it. Not blown away by anything in particular, but certainly found it listenable.
Rock alternativo. Ni fu ni fa.
Alternative rockelectronic INDIE. Están bien.
Alternative rock? A mixture of different musical styles which might suggest a number of line-up changes during the recording of the album, but apparently not. Not bad, but not great either.
What did I do to deserve Super Furry Animals two days in a row? Snoozefest part II.
All over the place.
2.5 stars. Aspects of this I liked ("Sidewalk Serfer Girl" catchy alt-rock, "It's Not the End of the World?" pop rock, "No Sympathy" which feels like 70's folk rock until weird twist at end) but for the most part it was just a strange twist on alt rock that I wasn't really into.
Pretty genius stuff. I think I'd only heard one or two of their songs before, so this is a pleasant surprise from the early noughties. Very creative with just enough catchiness to keep me interested.
It's an ambitious project, but it didn't really work for me. There are plenty of moments where it's interesting for a bit, but I feel like nothing about it is inherently good or interesting enough to warrant all the (what feels to me) forced weirdness/quirkiness. Like, none of the performances are especially great, none of the voices are particularly interesting, none of the lyrics seem particularly evocative or clever...it just feels like a lot of forced weirdness for its own sake without anything really there.
If beige were music
What a weird and delightful album. Lots of weird sounds, weird sound effects (or maybe weird instruments). Yet for some reason enjoyable. I didn’t pay as much attention to the lyrics as I’d like to, but it was good anyways. Definitely something to listen to more of
Interesting and quirky. 3/5
liked this at the time, but now can't really remember much about it. doesn't quite have the staying power for me
this album is fascinating in the sense that... i've listened to plenty of fusion albums before but this feels more like... a collage of different genres. is it pop? is it rock? is it electronic? is it indie? it's a very interesting little hodgepodge of sound. a good hodgepodge! i really like how some of the tracks start off in one way then end off sounding completely different.
Meant to say Saturn, switched up the pattern
Average indie rock
whack
I feel like I would have liked this album more when I was younger because I something inside me really wants to like it but I just don’t.
This feels like the sort of album Beck was going for with Guero, but Super Furry Animals pull it off so much better. The psychedelic and electronic elements work well together, and the lyrics and their humour are enjoyable and thought provoking. I’d have to spend some more time with it, I think, to fully get it, but I enjoyed it a lot on a first listen through
If you're listening to this on spotify do yourself a favor. Click on the bands name and go to the original unremastered version. It doesn't have the extra two cd's worth of bonus material, and in my opinion sounds better than the remastered version anyway. So I had never heard of this band and went in with zero expectations. There's a lot going on here. A whole range of musical styles and influences thrown together. A lot of the time it works well. There are times when it falls flat on its face though.
Really unique album that incorporates a lot of different styles and themes. You can never really tell what is coming next.
Great album! Great band.
Eldist mjög vel. Fíla mun betur en þegar hún kom út.
Fun fact: On one of our first dates as an official couple we were given a promo copy of 'Juxtaposed Wit U'. We seriously considered having it as our first dance at our wedding, but ultimately decided that the lyrics "I'm not in love with you, But I won't hold that against you" weren't, perhaps, in the spirit of things. Still, the song holds a special place for us. I've rarely listened to the whole album, so this was a nice treat. The Furries are probably the most underrated outfit of the 90s Brit Pop era, and I've always liked their more cosmic take on life and music. It's a trip of an album. You get slow ballads, then fairly standard indie, then a bit of Bristolian trip-hop, then some country and western. Oh and we'll throw in a proto-dubstep, Squarepusher techno banger too. I wouldn't listen to it very often, but one I would definitely reach for when the mood strikes.
New to me, part old and part new. Reminds me of a lot of different artists I like but not exactly like any of them.
Not that good. A bit cheesy to be honest.
muy copado el viaje que proponen
Weird, compelling, but just didn’t hook me completely.
There's a certain brand of British pop/rock, produced around the late 90's to early 00's, that has just never worked for me. Music that sounds like the musicians throwing every quirky little idea they have at a wall to see what sticks, a wall of sound that only manages to give you a headache (without any real earworms). Music that sounds like it was written by guys who idolize the Beatles, but write like the Monkees. Anyways, yes, this is that brand. That's not to say that it is entirely devoid of interesting ideas. There is a lot here that I like in theory. It was just too much. Too much melding of sounds and styles, too much of an effort to sound weird or unique, and not much of it worked for me. I could absolutely see this growing on me, but it would require several more listens, and I simply don't have the energy.
Great album, amazing band
Alternate Route To Vulcan Street - 8/10 Sidewalk Serfer Girl - 8/10 (Drawing) Rings Around The World - 7.5/10 It's Not the End of the World? - 7.5/10 Receptacle For The Respectable - 8/10 [A] Touch Sensitive - 7/10 Shoot Doris Day - 7.5/10 Miniature - 7/10 No Sympathy - 8/10 Juxtapozed With U - 7.5/10 Presidential Suite - 8/10 Run! Christian, Run! - 7.5/10 Fragile Happiness - 7.5/10 TOTAL - 101/130
Rings Around The World is pretty interesting, not the sort of thing I lean towards in my listening habits and I probably won't go back to it, but it more than held my attention for the duration. It has a very polished yet very layered production, an epic and cinematic sort of sound, sort of like each song tells a story individually and collectively. I particularly enjoyed the run from Receptacle for the Respectable to Presidential Suite, which obviously has the famous Juxtapozed With U in it, but they all stand up to scrutiny. An easy 3, not a 4 because it's not my favourite stuff, but it's just really well put together.
I think I admired this more than I liked it - there's tonnes of variety, lots of funky sampling, but it still held together coherently. The trouble is, none of it really spoke to me properly and I came away from it pretty cold. It can have a 3 on the basis that it's technically great and full of different sounds and influences, but nothing more than that.
Kinda weird but I like it
No
3.75
A solid indie-prog record that stumbles over itself. Super Furry Animals has a wonderful lead vocalist/songwriter in Gruff Rhys, and he has some truly beautiful and haunting melodies on this album. The lush, vibrant backing vocals and instrumentation really soar and carry the vision of the music at times, but there are plenty of moments where the "experimentation" of the band gets muddled, jarring, and just unpleasant. The record unfortunately falls into the 90's/2000's trap of ambitious, noise-making nonsense that mars the simple heartfelt moments. Stand out tracks include "Sidewalk Serfer Girl", "Shoot Doris Day", "Miniature", "No Sympathy", "Presidential Suite", and "Fragile Happiness".
Never heard of them but enjoyed this album
Heck yeah. Super Furry Animals. I don’t listen to this band enough, but I really like this sound and similar bands of the era. Enjoyed this album. Everyone should know this band.
Definitely ambitious. I don't think there is anything particularly bad, or that the band doesn't pull off, but personally there were a few songs that were just "fine". There were some definite highlights, especially "Presidential Suite" and "It's Not the End of the World?" that make me think I'll give this album a few more listens, some of the material that didn't hit me the first time might just be growers.
Like all the other albums, nothing that stands out from the crowd.
Cinematic, genre-bending, emotional, and at times hard to keep up with. A few of these tracks are whirlwinds of soundscapey synths that aren't necessarily bad, but could use some cohesion. Occasionally the music will veer into a kind of electronic avant-garde (not good), e.g. in the track No Sympathy. Some of the chord progressions, especially in the key tracks below, aren't necessarily creative, but they're darn great to listen through. The band is very obviously stronger and less abrasive when they lean into their more acoustic sound. I really like the vocals. They're not overwhelmingly the focus, which is often a problem with post-2000 pop: artists in the pop genre will tailor their music to be singable rather than high-quality/complex, and the two are often mutually exclusive. Super Furry Animals knows when to let other instruments shine, usually for the better. This does come at the cost of the lyrics and melodies being a little harder to take in and recall. Key tracks: (Drawing) Rings Around the World, Receptacle for the Respectable, Shoot Doris Day, Juxtapozed with U
Bonkers. Huge influences from everywhere. Rings around the World is a cracking single. I didn't realise the album would be so good. I worked with a chap, years ago, who loved the SFA's. I can see why. Great album.
4/5. A very enjoyable and creative album of diverse, chaotic, and at times, beautiful album. The songs are very well-written and the pop songs are so catchy and accessible. Throwing a metal song in there and rock songs here and there mixed with electronic sounds brings up the score for the album. Honestly, could be a 5 but might need another listen to full appreciate it.
"Rings Around The World" by Super Furry Animals, released in 2001, is a mixed bag of experimental pop and rock. The album showcases the band's innovative approach to music, blending various genres and incorporating electronic elements. Highlights include the title track "Rings Around The World," which features guest vocals from Paul McCartney, and "Juxtapozed with U," a catchy pop tune with a psychedelic twist. However, not all tracks hit the mark, with "No Sympathy" standing out as a weaker point on the album. While "Rings Around The World" demonstrates Super Furry Animals' creativity and musical prowess, it can feel disjointed at times, lacking a cohesive sound. Despite this, the album remains an interesting listen for fans of experimental rock. Overall, "Rings Around The World" earns a 3/5 rating for its ambition and standout tracks, despite some inconsistencies.
Good alt kinda vibe, bit radioheady
These cushions are opulent and I love the profile, but will I be comfortable on this couch? It’s more of a chaise longue. I had to listen to this with a lot of distractions, and only once, so this is more a sketch than a review: some smashing parts, brainy song structures, a sumptuous, playful production, but nowhere to rest my arm, and the playing length gave me pins and needles.
Sigh, Super Furry Animals... the creative highlight from the Stella'n'shirt'n'sneakers dregs of Britpop; a band packed full of ideas and who know their way around a tune; a band who have no concept of quality control. This album has some great moments (Juxtapozed With U especially), while also characteristically overlong and indulgent. The Spotify version is almost 4 hours long! Who the fuck needs all this "bonus" material? I'll recommend their Best Of here - with apposite warning that is has 37 fucking tracks (90% great)!
expansive, wonderful and weird, spacey and 4 stars.
I really enjoyed this album. It was new and fresh music I hadn’t heard before
Odd.
This album by Super Furry Animals is unbelievably long and totally arbitrary. Incorporating rhythms and sounds from electronica, pop, punk, rock, etc., this album is definitely considered alternative or perhaps more indie. This album did not transcend the Atlantic well.
This was fine but it didn’t grab me
Very interesting, was long did not finish.
If the Beach Boys morphed forward to the late 90s, spent a couple years listening to current music, changed their sound as little as possible while still trying to be more "modern" and, because no one would believe them if they said they were famous time-travelers from the 1960s, released an album under the name Super Furry Animals, this is exactly what it would sound like. Which is to say that it is bad. OK, the above was written during the first half of the album. I will concede that they did diverge their sound a bit in the second half of the album, even getting a little experimental in parts, playing with a bit of electronica. They did not, however, get better. A well-deserved 2 stars.
what's the fuss?
Not really my thing at all, but I can dig the artistry at work here in terms of creativity and song transitions
I wasn't expecting much based on the album art, so safe to say this album surprised me. I think the biggest surprise was the the genre, I would've never guessed this was going to be a rock album from the art. I think overall this was a pretty decent album
I don’t think I’ve heard of Super Furry Animals before. The album cover isn’t familiar either. Apple Music list this as a pop album, which is a rarity with albums considered as essential. I’m intrigued. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: (Drawing) Rings Around The World, Juxtapozed With U Firstly, calling this a pop album is extremely reductive. I’d consider it to be alt/indie rock. It reminded me a lot of Blur, with perhaps a dash of Badly Drawn Boy. This was a really pleasant listen, with a nice mix of typical rock instruments as well of orchestral strings and occasional brass. I hadn’t heard of this band before, but I’m glad I have now.
Klingt streckenweise nach Damon Albarn mit merkwürdigen elektronischen Begleitinstrumenten.
This album really grew on me with every listen. Interesting that the songs I liked first are among the ones with the fewest listens (shoot Doris day, presidential suite, sidewalk serfer girl).
Maybe actually a 2, but giving it a 3. Fluctuated between interesting and annoying... often within the same song. Worked best when it landed somewhere between Blur and trip-hop, but too often felt to try-hard zany.
You'd think that mashing up Flaming Lips with Polyphonic Spree, the dude from Ween as the singer, + some rock opera aspirations would be fun to listen to. You would be wrong.
I missed this album back in the day. I guess I didn’t miss much.
Un album complexe qui réunit des influences diverses – folk des années 1960, Motown, rock 80, ballade country – avec des échantillonnages contemporains de l'époque.
worth a listen
Decent, didn't get me too excited. The start of It's Not the End of the World stood out most for me, before it mellowed out again by 45 seconds or so.
Cool songs
The most underrated band from the British 90s music scene. Some great songs, taking the best of The Beach Boys, Psychedelic rock and soul. A peach of a record.
Oh yes. So very very good.
Again, this version was not available on YouTube music. But, I did find a remastered version. Honestly, not my fave.
schunkelcore
Really odd and eclectic. 1/5
Nothing great but all of it good
Really enjoyed this. Easy listening and fun sounds
#113. Nothing super interesting here. Ok radio rock but nothing that stands out. 2/5: meh Song added to playlist: Sidewalk Serfer Girl I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link
MUY BUENOS !!!!!!!!
The second disk was awesome! I can’t be 100% sure if I heard the artist’s original intent since only later additions were available. Nonetheless, this jumped genre and did reasonably well in all of them
Liked the diversity in genres and that's a lot happening with garage feeling instruments an an enthusiastic reserved voice. But some songs are theatralic poppy and the singer too nasal for my taste.
Indie, alternative rock, britpop, jazz, keys, electro, dub, melancholic and happy, male, mid/slow/fast, interesting concepts and challenging songs, many different styles. Catchy, but voice is quite weak. Not convinced, but not bad. Gets better every by every spin.
not my cup o tea
Turn of the century British music was an interesting period to say the least. Britpop had imploded under its' own unbearable weight, and the result was a musical landscape in search of meaning. What we got was a lot bands expanding their sphere of curiosity, and 'Rings Around The World' is an output from such a band. One can hardly keep track of all the different genres and sounds, but everything kind of works. Sure, it's not a cohesive album in any way, but the experimentation and songwriting ('It's Not The End Of The World?', 'Shoot Doris Day') are stellar.
Rings Around The World feels like the missing link between Blur and Gorillaz. It’s the transformation from britpop to whatever you would like to call the schizophrenic mashup of genres that the British scene of the early 00’s experimented with. There’s very little cohesion as Gruff Rhys and the band throws every musical idea towards you - and somehow succeeds to hit the target time and time again. It shouldn’t actually work, but it does. It’s too much, it could almost be misinterpreted as a joke of a band with no musical direction. Somehow Super Furry Animals gets away with it - and it’s sublime.
* The way he says "rings around the world" make me think of the "Sega" intro. * [A] Touch Sensitive may be one of the seemingly rare instrumentals along this lengthy musical journey that I actually kinda like the majority of. We'll see if it stays in its current spot (3rd place) or if it shifts around before I finalize things. * Struggling whether to place this in the 3 or 4 star rating category. On one hand, I ended up liking it more than I thought I would... but nothing blew me away. Don't think there's anything I'd go out of my way to listen to. Hmm... -- Album Rankings -- 1. (Drawing) Rings Around the World 2. It's Not the End of the World? 3. Presidential Suite 4. Run! Christian, Run! 5. Juxtapozed with U 6. Fragile Happiness 7. Shoot Doris Day 8. No Sympathy 9. [A] Touch Sensitive 10. Receptacle for the Respectable 11. Miniature 12. Sidewalk Serfer Girl 13. Alternate Route to Vulcan Street
Sounds like typical UK popular music ... relatively uninteresting since I prefer lyrics that tell the story. Bottom line ... not my cup of tea and generally boring music. Lots of electronic noise with an occasional break in the pattern for a ballad/soft rock attempt.
🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮
Pretty sure Randy Newman is Jewish. Fuckin GOT EM
Kinda trash. Just not for me
Sounded very experimental and as if all the post punk bands that came out of the UK may have been influenced by this.
Not my cup of tea. Not hard to listen to but would not listen again intentionally.
Really great album. Very ahead of it's time for 2001. The lead singer sounds like Damon Albarn, so it felt like listening to a contemporary Blur album. Great production. Sounds like it was influential in the rock space.
It was good, but I need to listen again to rate properly I think.
Some songs have moments of sounding good but all the random sound effects sounded a little too out there
My first thought was that the singer sounds a bit like Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam), so hearing that paired with hard rock on some of the tracks was strange. The first few songs are kind of interesting but derivative at the same time. It's like SFA doe Pink Floyd, SFA does the Beach Boys, SFA does the Beatles, etc. The vocalist's death metal impression at the end of track five was ... no thanks. The second half of the album gets too 70s disco and soft rock for my tastes (And a random country-western song? Why?) My album right before this was Beta Band's "Heroes to Zeros" and at first I thought both albums have similar vibes but that Beta Band has better music and SFA has better lyrics. Then I got to the back half of the album and things get kind of ridiculous, so I think I retract that statement. I didn't mind the first half of the album. The second half overstays its welcome with lyrics that are too clever by half and music that's a mix of their cover band work with electronic elements that are mostly just unpleasant to listen to. Apparently the lead singer said, "We were trying to make utopian pop music that had pretensions of being progressive and exciting," and, well, I don't know about exciting or progressive, but it's definitely pretentious.
Never heard of this band. Enjoyed listening.
This was a chore to listen to. At times reminded me of like The Shins smashed with The Gorrilaz. Probably wouldn't listen again.
I recognize the talent,but it is not my cup of tea.
Really liked this one. Was not very familiar with them but definitely liked the vibe
Fun listen, lots of good jams, good sound. Some hilarious lyrics in there on some songs. Some beatles-esque violin/orchestra parts & drum beats that felt almost intentionally a nod to them.
Chill vibe, enjoyed it
English spacey rock vibes, some cool moments reminding me of the Beatles experimental soundscape. The end of “No Sympathy” was lit. Very creative album
Somewhat eclectic rock, definite prog influences
Pretty mid album. Boring enough that I have nothing good or bad to say about it, and no favorite track
Ew. It's so disjointed. There's a fine line between deep and pretentious and this is on the wrong side of it.
This albums shows a variety of musical skills that spans many genres but at some point you wonder why one of the songs needs a industrialesque outro. In that respect I liked this wild journey but some songs felt like they wanted to be experimental just for the sake of being different - and not to write a good song.
I thought the first song was great. I was hoping the whole album was going to have a psychedelic shoegaze vibe to it. But it just got weird. An interesting album for sure. Not something I would choose to put on though.
It got better towards the end
Meh. Was aware & listening for innovative sounds in 2001 but have never heard of this UK band. Now i know why
I like the versatility of the album but exactly the versatility makes it a bit all over the place here and there. It's an interesting record and quite liked it at first listen but so far I feel like it's a solid 3 or a bit higher than that.
Oh well. Being one of the most interesting bands of the "Cool Cymru" wave (with Manic Street Preachers, *maybe*) doesn't automatically make you an "essential" act to absolutely remember when assessing music from the last seven decades or so. Besides, "Cool Britannia" was already filled with overrated artists, as this list proves then and again. To be clear, I have nothing against Welsh rock bands. It's just that it's the same British critics that have here overblown this offshoot of the Britpop craze to ridiculous proportions. And those critics are not to be trusted, at least in my somewhat humble opinion. To be more specific about this album: it's not bad at all, with a lot of thought given to key songwriting elements, production and arrangements. Yet what is so "original" here, after dozens of other Britpop bands? A fistful of songs, sure: the title track is among them, with its enormous winks to ELO and the Beach Boys. "Rings Around The World" is an earworm for sure, even if it's the sort of happy-go-lucky earworm that can get on your nerves after too many listens--and this in spite of its witty lyrical contents lamenting pollution in space (more in line with the innocuous aspects of The Beach Boys' *I Love You* than with any gem from *Pet Sounds* or *Smile*). Among the highlights, and yet also a very strange cut, "Sidewalk Serfer Girl" sounds as if folk weirdo Kevin Ayers had decided to have a baby with neo-metal rockers Linkin Park. Not sure I needed that sort of coupling in my music world, but now I know this feat can be accomplished at least. Finally, the vocoder-laden verses of "Juxtapozed With U" are certainly prophetic of sounds we got used to since 2001 (from Daft Punk's neo-disco shenanigans to Kanye West's crazy antics and Frank Ocean's neo-neo soul). This composition also hearkens back to the "plastic soul" of *Young Americans*, and it's true that Super Furry Animals were always convincing when they took a page from David Bowie's biblical book (as when they wrote "Demons", a clear homage to *Ziggy Stardust* found in their former LP *Radiator*). Apart from that, there's not much that's *truly* memorable in this record. Just as for most SFA albums from the late nineties / early noughts, you have EDM interpolations that may or may not have aged well depending on your mileage about those sorts of electronic productions twenty years ago. And, let's face it, you mostly have Blur-inspired songs. A LOT of Blur-inspired songs (sometimes mixed with ELO, sometimes with Bowie). Except that it's a second-rate Blur at best, whether for the lively cuts or for the slower ones. So not bad overall. But not "essential". And beyond the relative merits of *Rings Around The World*'s individual tracks, another issue one may have with this record is how sloppy and topsy-turvy its tracklisting looks. Case in point: the jarring transition between "Sidewalk Serfer Girl" and "Rings Around The World", in spite of the highlights that they are. Seems to me that *Radiator* is more "cohesive" than this later record, and so *slightly* more enjoyable than the two Super Furry Animals albums selected in the 1001 Albums Book. But even there, I don't think that *Radiator* is an essential LP either. All the SFA full-length releases I've heard are "cool" albums, in spite of their many shortcomings. But the latter prevent them from being worthy of a list gathering the best records of all time. Ain't life hard? One last thing: browsing through the Wikipedia page, I've just learnt that Paul McCartney plays "carrot and celery" on one of those tracks ("Receptacle For The Respectable"). What the heck??! I'm glad Gruff Rhys and company had a fun time with an ex-Beatle in the studio, but decidedly, this won't save this song from its useless meanderings in its second half. If anything, such anecdote proves how Super Furry Animals could be self-indulgent at times, in spite of their connection to British rock regalia. 2.5/5 for the purpose of this list of "essential albums" (rounded up to 3). Which translates to a 7.5/10 grade for more general purposes (5+2.5). Number of albums left to review: 328 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 301 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 163 Albums from the list I won't include in mine (including this one, many other records are more important to me): 217 PS: And what an ugly-ass artwork, for chrissake!
Experimental rock
Didn't hate it but its a one and done.
Sounds good
This is an album that exists. You'd think with a name like "Super Furry Animals" that this band would have something unique and weird in a good way. Instead, Rings Around The World is just kind of mediocre. The singing isn't bad, but I'm not particularly impressed by it. The sound quality is okay. It sounds weird at times in regards to the production. The writing is fine. Maybe I'm just in a bad mood or something, but I just don't really get this album. I thought it could maybe be a light 3 at first, but then this weird thing happened at the end of "Receptacle for the Respectable" that I didn't like at all so I bumped it down a bit. I see no reason for this album to be on the list. It doesn't have enough cultural impact or quality to justify its inclusion. Apparently they're notable enough to have 2 albums on this list. Isn't that just great? 2/5.
Great to see a second Super Furry Animals album on the list, although this and Fuzzy Logic aren't the two I would have chosen when Radiator or Phantom Power are bonafide 5/5 albums. This is a strong album and a good representation of SFA's genre bending sound. Rings Around the World, It's Not the End of the World, Receptacle for the Respectable, Juxtapozed with U, Presidential Suite, and Run! Christian, Run! stand out, but overall the record is just a touch pedestrian for my tastes, despite the creativity and wide array of genres. Respect for Receptacle for the Respectable. There are so many distinct parts and ideas to the song that I always assumed it was seven+ minutes long. However, it turns out they've somehow jammed it all into four and a half minutes. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Receptacle for the Respectable Date listened: 30/12/23
you know i think could've died without hearing this one actually, and there were even a few points deep into the album that death almost seemed more appealing than sitting through more of this bland "made for supermarket adverts" type rock. would give it a 2 because most of it wasn't completely intolerable, but I did give it up completely before the end, so 1 it is.
Has long been one of my favorites
8/10 Best discovery so far. Highlights: Receptacle for the Respectable Rings Around the World A Touch Sensitive Fragile Happiness No Sympathy
Best Songs: Sidewalk Serfer Girl, No Sympathy Listen Again: Probably not
had absolutely 0 expectations going into this album. had never heard of Super Furry Animals but it was a great listen. no bad songs and a lot of really good ones. the vibes were all over the place but in a good and purposeful way
I enjoy each individual track and I like the bands sound, but as an album I do agree that it falls short. It just a grab bag of tracks, it lacks a really solid through line.
Quirky adventurous Welsh indi pop thars diffucultvyi dislike. a joy at times
Not for me!
I loved this so much!! If other albums were 5, this was a 10
Dead boring. Sounded floydian on the first tune and then the rest was just meaningless dad rock. Somehow also sounded like a kids songbook on some of the poppier songs as well.
Joo, tämä ei oikein mulle auennut.
Rings around the world? Maybe rings around the bath. This is probably the last hurrah of the britpop era, before the early 2000s curse kicked in. Fortunately, very little of it is actually britpop, which had overstayed its welcome by this point in history. There's great variety in this, and I genuinely like some of the tracks, but I don't think it works as a cohesive album.
Melodic. Kooky. Genre-bending. Brilliant.
A true mishmash of everything on rock/pop radio in 2001. I loathed that stuff at the time, and I don't believe it's aged well.
1st listen… a lot going on 2.5
This took some interesting twists and turns. Enjoyable.
Pretty darn good.
Nice enough. Hadn't previously heard.
this album has its moments, some really great stuff, but i think ultimately it is balanced by some less interesting stuff. it's highs are high, but its lows are... boring. and that's ok. but ultimately, not my most favorite listen out there.
The lyrics and general vibes are a bit too self-aware and "quirky". I do appreciate the mix of classic rock/pop inspirations with occasional electronica inserts, though.
I wanted to like this more but outside of Juxtaposed With U (which is charming) this is not that inspiring
Like Pulp‘s „This is hardcore“ it was their most popular album founded on 3 predecent fundamental records. But when public embraced Pulp‘s glossy approach it wasn’t the same with SFA. As a result for this Lack of love: the hauntingly beautiful pop-strike record MWNG in Welsh. They tried hard but the world wasn‘t on their frequency.
3.5 stars rounded up. "[A] Touch Sensitive" was the best track. Some of the Super Furry Animals' songs are a kaleidoscopic melding of psychedelia, pop, rock and electronica, similar to Primal Scream but more accessible and fun. Some of the tracks sound like vintage Britpop that never made it across the pond, which from my perspective, it is.
Despite some odd flirting with stranger more broad genres, after not too long this one was going over my head a bit, and by the end I was a very slight bit bored of it. Still a decent album, with some fun poppish art rock tunes.
Fun, experimental, feel like it requires multiple listens
Woo hoo! My first one star album! Why is this on the list?! I can list a bunch of stuff I'd prefer to listen to rather than this album: jackhammering next door, cats in heat yeowling in the night, the high-pitched shrieking of a toddler. Pretty much from the first song I wanted it to be over. There were maybe one or two redeemable moments in some of the songs that were quickly turned back into grating bleurghhhh.
Me fue gustando más conforme escuchaba. Me daba gatazos de Gorillaz o Blur, pero terminé apreciándolo como su propio ente.
3/5
Huge fan of SFA and this is yet another one added to the list. I don't really get the complaints about the style but if it's good, then it's good right? And I like this, a lot.
Phish + Elvis Costello, as Welshmen
Too long and after awhile they tend to blend in.
This was soooo boring.
This was intended to be an expansive epic and that comes across in the final album. It has cinematic production values and plenty of variety in the musical content. The melodies are catchy, the vocals are bouncy (loads of great harmonies) and the arrangements are dense. They don't take themselves too seriously either. Thoroughly enjoyable pop.