Despite being the eighth studio album from Gruff Rhys and his Super Furries, Hey Venus! celebrates the band's move to Rough Trade Records by essentially paying homage to their late '90s beginnings as a classic Britpop band.
A departure from the psychedelic phantoms and lasers of their two previous records, Hey Venus! was originally meant to act as a concept album following a young woman's move to the big city. It begins with the appropriately-titled with "The Gateway Song," followed by two poppy singles in "Run-Away" and "Show Your Hand" that sound more like the generic pop songs one would find on the radio than those of such a historically experimental band. But one cannot deny the Phil Spector sound that the Furries carry through their singles, which are eloquently crafted to emphasize a fun combination of harmonics and instrumentation.
Though no longer a concept album, the record still features a story arc. It peaks in tempo near the beginning and slowly transitions into a mellower style with the gentle vocals and slow guitar of tracks such as "Suckers!" and "Let the Wolves Howl at the Moon." The songs are sprinkled with the various experimental influences that you have come to expect from the Furries over the years, like electrical beeps and distorted vocals.
The track that inspired the Hey Venus! name, "Into the Night," represents the entire album with its catchy pop hooks and clever lyrics (you must be clever to integrate the words "Professorsaurus" and "Milky Way").
Fans expecting trippy power pop similar to the band's recent releases may be a little disappointed, and are possibly better off listening to Of Montreal. But the album, although a bit brief, is a good reminder of why Super Furry tunes have always managed to get stuck in our heads.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.