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Supergrass:Life on Other Planets
Ive liked Supergrass ever since I got my grubby little fingers on the 3-song Caught by The Fuzz single, back in the day. I dug I Should Coco, and was fortunate enough to catch the band live in 1995 at a little party dubbed Scumfest in a rented NYC loft. I remember the drummer walking around barefoot with painted toenails, checking out the performers from the Coney Island freak show that were there. When they played (which was the only reason I was there, as I typically hate parties) I lucked out and was about two feet in front of the lead singer/guitarist, who perspired more than I ever thought was humanly possible. There was a guy offstage whose only job appeared to be toweling off the guitars in between songs so that the singer wouldnt electrocute himself. Great show. Years went by. Supergrass released some more albums, all of which seemed to get good reviews. They had videos and were frequent guests on MTVs 120 Minutes. Through this whole period, I often entertained the notion of buying more of their stuff, but never quite got around to it. There always seemed to be more important things for me to buy. So let this be my public apology to the band: Im sorry I didnt give you anymore of my money. You probably deserved a good chunk of it. So when I was given the opportunity to review their new album, Life on Other Planets, I jumped at the chance. Finally I would get to catch up with my old buddies. Ok, they werent really my buddies, but still... The boys sure have matured since I last saw them. Gone are the cheeky British pranksters that released I Should Coco. In their place is a band that builds its musical architecture with a strong pop foundation, flavored with bits of psychedelic and glam-rock (though thankfully not overdoing it). The songs are arranged perfectly and have a depth to them that didnt exist in their earlier works. A lot more keyboards have crept into the mix, but in this instance, its a good thing. My favorite song (despite its title) is the opener, Za, though nothing on this CD disappoints. A great record from beginning to end. Supergrass, Im sorry I wasnt always there for you. When you needed me, I was nowhere to be found. It wasnt you, it was me. But Im back, and I think we can make this work. We had something really special, and Id hate to throw that away. I know I dont deserve it, but can you find it in your heart to give me another chance?
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