Supergrass | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Like many other British bands of the 90s, Supergrass musical roots lie in the infectiously catchy punk-pop of the Buzzcocks and the Jam, as well as the post-punk pop of Madness and the traditional Brit-pop of the Kinks and Small Faces. Perhaps because of its age -- two of the trio were still in their teens when they recorded their debut single -- the band also brings in elements of decidedly unhip groups like Elton John, as well as classic rockers like David Bowie, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones. With an exuberant, youthful enthusiasm, Supergrass tied all of their influences together in surprising new ways, where a Buzzcocks riff could slam into three-part harmonies out of "Crocodile Rock," or have a galloping music hall rhythm stutter like the best moments of the Who. Consisting of guitarist/vocalist Gaz Coombes, bassist Mickey Quinn, and drummer Danny Goffey, Supergrass released their first single, the semi-autobiographical "Caught by the Fuzz," in the summer of 1994 on the indie label Backbeat; Parlophone signed the band and reissued the single in the fall of the year. "Caught by the Fuzz" generated a significant amount of buzz, including praise from Blur and Elastica. "Mansize Rooster," the groups second single, was released in the spring of 1995; it made it into the pop charts, as did "Lenny," which was released right before their debut album, I Should Coco. Released in May 1995, I Should Coco received glowing reviews in the U.K. press and debuted in the Top Ten. The bands popularity continued to grow, leading to the number two double A-sided single, Alright/Time. Staying in the Top Three for nearly a month, the effervescent "Alright" pushed the album to number one. I Should Coco was released in the U.S. three months later and a buzz began to build there as "Caught by the Fuzz" began receiving MTV and radio play. Supergrass earned fans in some quarters -- allegedly, Steven Spielberg was interested in developing a Monkees-styled sitcom around the trio -- but I Should Coco never quite caught on in the U.S. the way it did in the rest of the world. Following a year of touring, Supergrass capped off 1996 with the single "Going Out," the first taste from their second album, the psychedelic In It for the Money. Appearing in the spring of 1997, In It for the Money had greater ambitions than I Should Coco, a shift critics responded to enthusiastically, but it was also a success in the U.K., going platinum and spawning the hit singles "Richard III," "Sun Hits the Sky," and "Late in the Day." Despite support from Foo Fighters and Pearl Jam, a further attempt to crack the American market didnt take, and the group never again prioritized the U.S. Two years after In It for the Money, Supergrass returned with an eponymous third album whose stomping lead single "Pumping On Your Stereo" suggested a poppier record than they delivered. "Pumping on Your Stereo" and its sequel, the Top Ten hit "Moving," helped propel the album to platinum status in the U.K. Supergrass then went on an extended break, adding Gazs brother Rob Coombes as a full-time keyboardist during the hiatus and coming back in 2002 with Life on Other Planets. Despite reaching the British Top 10, Life on Other Planets was the beginning of Supergrass commercial downslide -- of the four singles, only "Grace" made it into the Top 20, with "Seen the Light" topping out at 22. An anniversary compilation called Supergrass Is 10 arrived in 2004 and the following year the group released the reflective, moody Road to Rouen, a record that had a pair of modest hits in "Kiss of Life" and "St Petersburg" and wound up garnering respectable reviews. As the band prepared the release of their louder, glammy follow-up Diamond Hoo Ha, Mickey Quinn broke his heel bone in September of 2007, leading Gaz and Danny to do a quick club tour under the name the Diamond Hoo Ha Men. The album itself came out in the spring of 2008. It was their last for Parlophone and it performed modestly well on the charts, generating no hit singles. Sometime in 2009, Supergrass attempted a seventh album, provisionally entitled Release the Drones, but during the recording the group fractured. They abandoned the record and split up after a brief farewell tour in the summer of 2010, just after Gaz and Danny released a self-titled album by their covers side project the Hotrats. Quinn went on to assemble the DB Band and Gaz Coombes launched his solo career with Here Come the Bombs in the spring of 2012. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 10 Title: I Should Coco Released: 1995-05-15 Tracks: 58 Duration: 3:05:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I’d Like to Know (04:02) 2 Caught by the Fuzz (02:17) 3 Mansize Rooster (02:34) 4 Alright (03:01) 5 Lose It (02:39) 6 Lenny (02:42) 7 Strange Ones (04:19) 8 Sitting Up Straight (02:20) 9 She’s So Loose (02:59) 10 We’re Not Supposed To (02:03) 11 Time (03:10) 12 Sofa (of My Lethargy) (06:18) 13 Time to Go (01:56) 1 Caught By The Fuzz (acoustic) (03:01) 2 Odd? (04:10) 3 Wait for the Sun (04:08) 4 Sex! (02:34) 5 Just Dropped In (To See What My Condition Was In) (02:44) 6 Je suis votre papa sucre (01:45) 7 Stone Free (03:15) 8 I Believe in Love (Unfinished Out-take) (04:46) 9 Id Like To Know (Demo) (02:47) 10 Caught By the Fuzz (Backbeat version) (02:18) 11 Mansize Rooster (Backbeat version) (03:18) 12 Alright (Demo) (02:45) 13 Lose It (Demo) (02:35) 14 Lenny (Demo) (02:42) 15 Strange Ones (Backbeat version) (04:00) 16 Sitting Up Straight (Backbeat version) (02:05) 17 Shes So Loose (Demo) (02:46) 18 Were Not Supposed To (Demo) (02:06) 19 Time (Demo) (03:50) 20 Sofa (Of My Lethargy) (Instrumental) (07:16) 21 Time To Go (Demo) (01:57) 1 Strange Ones (Live At Bath Moles) (03:45) 2 Sitting Up Straight (Live At Bath Moles) (02:36) 3 Mansize Rooster (Live At Bath Moles) (03:08) 4 Time (Live At Bath Moles) (03:39) 5 Id Like To Know (Live At Bath Moles) (04:30) 6 Time To Go (Technical Fault) [Live At Bath Moles] (01:06) 7 Shes So Loose (Live At Bath Moles) (03:24) 8 Caught By The Fuzz (Crowd Surge) [Live At Bath Moles] (01:18) 9 Caught By The Fuzz (Live At Bath Moles) (02:21) 10 Lenny (Live At Bath Moles) (03:00) 11 Going Out (Live at Route Du Rock) (04:51) 12 Sitting Up Straight (Live at Route Du Rock) (02:16) 13 Mansize Rooster (Live at Route Du Rock) (02:54) 14 Id Like To Know (Live at Route Du Rock) (04:21) 15 Time (Live at Route Du Rock) (03:27) 16 Alright (Live at Route Du Rock) (02:58) 17 Odd? (Live at Route Du Rock) (04:03) 18 Shes So Loose (Live at Route Du Rock) (03:29) 19 Where Have All The Good Times Gone (Live at Route Du Rock) (02:35) 20 Lose It (Live at Route Du Rock) (02:43) 21 Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In) (Live at Route Du Rock) (02:59) 22 Caught By The Fuzz (Live at Route Du Rock) (03:22) 23 Strange Ones (Live at Route Du Rock) (05:53) 24 Lenny (Live at Route Du Rock) (03:56) |
| I Should Coco : Allmusic album Review : 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 dont make any distinction between what is cool and what isnt, 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 records exuberant energy all the more infectious. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 10 Title: Bag O Grass Released: 1996 Tracks: 16 Duration: 49:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Caught by the Fuzz (02:17) 2 Strange Ones (03:39) 3 Caught By The Fuzz (acoustic) (03:01) 1 Mansize Rooster (02:34) 2 Sitting Up Straight (02:20) 3 Odd? (04:10) 1 Lenny (02:42) 2 Wait for the Sun (04:08) 3 Sex! (02:34) 1 Alright (03:05) 2 Time (03:10) 3 Condition (02:45) 4 Je suis votre papa sucre (01:45) 1 Going Out (04:16) 2 Melanie Davis (02:44) 3 Strange Ones (live) (03:50) |
 | Album: 3 of 10 Title: In It for the Money Released: 1997-04-21 Tracks: 12 Duration: 43:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 In It for the Money (03:05) 2 Richard III (03:12) 3 Tonight (03:09) 4 Late in the Day (04:43) 5 G‐Song (03:27) 6 Sun Hits the Sky (04:55) 7 Going Out (04:16) 8 It’s Not Me (02:56) 9 Cheapskate (02:43) 10 You Can See Me (03:40) 11 Hollow Little Reign (04:08) 12 Sometimes I Make You Sad (02:47) |
| In It for the Money : Allmusic album Review : Supergrass debut album, I Should Coco, rushed by at such a blinding speed that some listeners didnt notice the melodic complexity of its best songs. On its second album, the cleverly titled In It for the Money, Supergrass brought the songs to the forefront, slowing the tempos considerably and constructing a varied, textured album that makes the bands ambition and skill abundantly clear. From the droning mantra of the opening title track, its clear that the band has delved deeply into psychedelia, and hints of Magical Mystery Tour are evident throughout the album, from swirling organs and gurgling wah-wahs to punchy horn charts and human beatboxes. In fact, Supergrass has substituted the punky rush of I Should Coco for such sonic details, and while that means the band only occasionally touches upon the breakneck pace of its debut (the hard-driving "Richard III"), it also deepens its joyful exuberance with subtle songs and remarkably accomplished musicianship. There might not be a "Caught by the Fuzz" or "Alright" on In It for the Money, but thats not a problem, since the bright explosion of "Sun Hits the Sky" and the nervy "Tonight" are just as energetic, and the album features introspective numbers like the gorgeous "Late in the Day" and "Its Not Me" that give it substantial weight. And even with all this musical maturity, Supergrass hasnt sacrificed its good-natured humor, as the detailed production and the bizarre closer, "Sometimes I Make You Sad," make abundantly clear. Sometimes, maturity turns out to be everything its supposed to be. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 10 Title: Supergrass Released: 1999-09-20 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:05:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Moving (04:27) 2 Your Love (03:27) 3 What Went Wrong (In Your Head) (04:06) 4 Beautiful People (03:22) 5 Shotover Hill (03:43) 6 Eon (03:45) 7 Mary (04:00) 8 Jesus Came From Outta Space (04:10) 9 Pumping on Your Stereo (03:20) 10 Born Again (03:39) 11 Faraway (05:05) 12 Mama & Papa (02:31) 1 Pumping on Your Stereo (live from Peel Acres) (03:12) 2 Sun Hits the Sky (live from Peel Acres) (04:45) 3 Mary (from Lamacq live) (04:12) 4 Richard III (live from Peel Acres) (03:31) 5 Strange Ones (live from Peel Acres) (03:59) |
| Supergrass : Allmusic album Review : Essentially, Supergrass eponymous third album is a refined, subdued extension of In It for the Money. Where that album was a supremely confident, head-spinning musical kaleidoscope, splendidly shifting focus from track to track, Supergrass is down to earth, mellow, and unassuming. Part of the trios charm has always been that theyre unabashedly unpretentious, since their casual attitude made their considerable musical skill all the more impressive. On Supergrass, that casualness occasionally crosses the line into laziness. It doesnt happen all that often, but there are moments on the album that feel tossed-off, such as "What Went Wrong (In Your Head)" and "Beautiful People." This is particularly evident because these also-rans are surrounded by songs that are as great as anything Supergrass has ever recorded -- the harpsichord-driven, pulsing "Your Love"; the stately, sophisticated "Shotover Hill"; the gleeful absurdity of "Jesus Came From Outta Space"; or the breezy, infectious summer single "Pumping on Your Stereo." The disparity in material also hammers home the point that Supergrass doesnt quite gel, the way their first two albums did. There were no themes behind those two records, but the performances and songs shared a similar spirit. The third album is simply a collection of moments, some spectacular and some average. While that may come as a slight disappointment, since I Should Coco and In It for the Money are two of the greatest pop albums of the 90s, the songs that work on Supergrass -- and they do account for well over half the record -- confirm that the Grass remain one of the most gifted, irresistible guitar pop bands of their time. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 10 Title: Life on Other Planets Released: 2002-09-11 Tracks: 12 Duration: 40:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Za (03:04) 2 Rush Hour Soul (02:55) 3 Seen the Light (02:26) 4 Brecon Beacons (02:56) 5 Can’t Get Up (04:02) 6 Evening of the Day (05:18) 7 Never Done Nothing Like That Before (01:43) 8 Funniest Thing (02:29) 9 Grace (02:31) 10 La Song (03:43) 11 Prophet 15 (04:05) 12 Run (05:28) |
| Life on Other Planets : Allmusic album Review : Supergrass makes music so effervescent and so effortlessly joyous that its easy to take them and their skills for granted. Surely that was the case around the release of their third album, 1999s eponymous effort, which in its labored fun and weary ballads illustrated just how much hard work it was to craft records as brilliant as I Should Coco and In It for the Money. It suggested the group might have burned too bright and flamed out, but, happily, 2002s Life on Other Planets is a smashing return to form, an album giddy with the sheer pleasure of making music. What makes this all the more impressive is that this is the record that Supergrass attempted to be -- a perfect balance of the sensibility and humor of I Should Coco with the musicality and casual virtuosity of In It for the Money. Where that album felt labored and a little weary, Life on Other Planets is teeming with life. The tempos are sprightly, the hooks tumble out of the speakers, the band mixes up styles and eras, and they never, ever forget the jokes (Gazs fleeting Elvis impression on "Seen the Light," an allusion to Spinal Taps "All the Way Home," or the chorus of "Evening of the Day"). Sure, its possible to spot the influence all the way through the album -- most clearly T. Rex on "Seen the Light" and "Brecon Beacons," where Gazs warble is uncannily like Marc Bolans -- but it never sounds exactly like their inspirations -- it all sounds like Supergrass. And Supergrass hasnt offered such pure, unabashed pop pleasure since their debut; there hasnt been an album thats this much fun in a long time. Since theyve been away for a while and have never broken in the States, Supergrass has been curiously overlooked, even though theyre better than 99 percent of the power pop and punk-pop bands out there (plus, their everything-old-is-new-again aesthetic can be heard in such albums as the Strokes Is This It?). But, as this glorious record proves, there are few bands around these days who are as flat-out enjoyable as this trio. The world is a better place for having Supergrass in it. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 10 Title: Supergrass Is 10: The Best of 94–04 Released: 2004-06-07 Tracks: 21 Duration: 1:11:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Caught by the Fuzz (02:17) 2 Pumping on Your Stereo (03:20) 3 Alright (03:01) 4 Moving (04:27) 5 Richard III (03:21) 6 Grace (02:31) 7 Late in the Day (04:47) 8 Seen the Light (02:26) 9 Mansize Rooster (02:40) 10 Sun Hits the Sky (04:55) 11 Kiss of Life (04:03) 12 Mary (04:00) 13 Going Out (04:16) 14 Lenny (02:42) 15 Bullet (02:32) 16 It’s Not Me (02:56) 17 Rush Hour Soul (02:55) 18 Strange Ones (03:59) 19 Lose It (02:39) 20 Time (03:14) 21 Wait for the Sun (04:08) |
| Supergrass Is 10: The Best of 94–04 : Allmusic album Review : Since they had a lower profile than their peers and came across as a bunch of mates instead of serious musicians, Supergrass tended to be the most overlooked of all the major Britpop bands. They never defined the culture like Oasis or Blur, never had a following of serious-minded, clever misfits like Pulp, they werent as sexy as Elastica, and they surely lacked the grandiose, doomed romanticism of Suede. What they were, though, was a bloody brilliant pop band. Their 1995 debut, I Should Coco, kicked harder than any record that year, and it had a bigger stylistic sprawl than any album this side of The Great Escape, which it trumped with a deliriously infectious enthusiasm -- and it was all the more impressive when the fact that Gaz Coombes and Danny Goffey were still in their teens when the cut the album. They matured at a rapid rate, refining their musicality with each of their next three records, but they never had center stage again like they did with I Should Coco. As they worked outside of the spotlight, they developed into a remarkably consistent singles band, as the generous 24-track 2004 collection Supergrass Is 10: The Best of 94-04 proves. Even their muddled eponymous third album sounds brilliant when distilled to the sweetly gorgeous "Moving" and the ridiculously intoxicating "Pumping on Your Stereo." These tunes are thrown together in a nonchronological order that contains all the A-sides apart from the U.S. radio single "Cheapskate" and the movie soundtrack selection "We Still Need More (Than Anyone Can Give)." Instead of being infuriating, this nonchronological sequencing reveals just how consistent Supergrass had been over the decade, since it forces the listener to concentrate on each individual song. Like Green Days hits compilation International Superhits!, Supergrass Is 10 is a revelation for anybody who hasnt been paying attention, since it showcases a band that is one of best, most satisfying guitar pop groups of the last 15 years. If you havent checked them out before, you need to get this immediately. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 10 Title: Road to Rouen Released: 2005-08-15 Tracks: 9 Duration: 35:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Tales of Endurance (Parts 4, 5 & 6) (05:31) 2 St. Petersburg (03:09) 3 Sad Girl (03:36) 4 Roxy (06:17) 5 Coffee in the Pot (01:50) 6 Road to Rouen (03:51) 7 Kick in the Teeth (03:36) 8 Low C (04:18) 9 Fin (03:11) |
| Road to Rouen : Allmusic album Review : Supergrass have a hard time coming down from their musical highs. Every time they release a giddy, irresistible pop album, they repent on the next record, crafting a moodier response. This happened with their 1995 debut, I Should Coco, which engendered two hangover records: the sprawling, ambitious, yet thrilling In It for the Money and its hazy, unfocused 1999 Supergrass, which, despite the instant glitter classic "Pumping on Your Stereo," was so scattered it sounded as if the guys werent sure if they wanted to be a band at all anymore. They sprung back with 2002s Life on Other Planets, a truly wonderful pop album that was their best since their debut, but for 2005s Road to Rouen, they once again retreat from the bright colors and sunny melodies and turn toward darker textures. But theres a big difference here: where Supergrass drifted aimlessly, Road to Rouen is a tight, sharply focused album with purpose and momentum. It may have two long epics in the opening "Tales of Endurance, Pts. 4, 5 & 6" and "Roxy," clocking in at 5:31 and 6:17, respectively, but the record lasts just over 35 minutes, and theres a mastery of tone, as the group creates a warm, trippy, late-night vibe and then never lets it flag over the course of nine songs. They have never shown such control on a record before -- previously, their best albums were exciting because they went all over the place, and did it well -- and its quite intoxicating to hear them ride one groove, finding different variations within it, for an entire album. And if Road to Rouen is anything, it is not monotonous -- it may be an ideal soundtrack for night, but this is hardly a one-note, self-absorbed introspective record. "Tales of Endurance" has an infectious minor-key vamp from pianist Robert Coombes, the title track is a propulsive glammy rocker, and "Kick in the Teeth" has a jangling guitar that off-sets the jazzy, lazy "St. Petersburg," the folky "Low C," and dreamy "Fin." All the songs take varying routes to the same destination, and part of the appeal of this album is that each track sounds different, yet sounds the same. Best of all, unlike that third album, this isnt a self-serious affair -- if the pun in the title itself didnt illustrate that Supergrass have retained their sense of humor, the lively instrumental throwaway "Coffee in the Pot" surely will -- and thats why this is such a terrific little record: Supergrass have found new things to do with their sound without getting self-consciously mature or middlebrow. Road to Rouen may not be a party record, but the best of bands can do any number of sounds while still sounding like themselves, and with this excellent album, Supergrass do prove that they can do exactly that. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 10 Title: Diamond Hoo Ha Released: 2008-03-24 Tracks: 11 Duration: 41:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Diamond Hoo Ha Man (03:25) 2 Bad Blood (03:03) 3 Rebel in You (04:41) 4 When I Needed You (02:31) 5 345 (03:39) 6 The Return of... (03:35) 7 Rough Knuckles (03:24) 8 Ghost of a Friend (03:54) 9 Whiskey & Green Tea (04:16) 10 Outside (03:32) 11 Butterfly (05:10) |
| Diamond Hoo Ha : Allmusic album Review : After spending a dark, contemplative night on the Road to Rouen, Supergrass come crashing back to life with Diamond Hoo Ha, an album every bit as cheerfully gaudy and vulgar as its title. It all begins, as it should, with "Diamond Hoo Hah Man," a wicked send-up of the White Stripes gonzo thump that rivals "Blue Orchid" and "Icky Thump" in its outsized swagger, while providing the touchstone for the rest of the record, not so much in its sound but in its attitude. Not that Supergrass doesnt crank the guitars here, as they offer up the stomping Stooges shuffle of "Bad Blood" and spangly "Rebel in You" in quick succession, but after this furious opening triptych, the band widens their net and lightens their touch, reconnecting with their signature impish humor that was quite deliberately missing on much of Road to Rouen despite its punning title. At times they actually overplay their mischief, overloading "Whiskey and Green Tea" with too much stylized British whimsy, it threatens to topple over on the weight of its braying brass. This isnt the only time that the band doesnt seem to fully have their urges under control, as there are a few pop tunes toward the end of the record that dont quite click as their hooks arent finely honed. This is how Diamond Hoo Ha differs from 2002s incandescent Life on Other Planets which offered song after song that effortlessly dazzled. Here, Supergrass seem to labor a little to achieve such high times...but only toward the end of the record, which is solid and well-crafted but lacking the glorious, giddy highs the band offers at the beginning. However, that first half -- somewhat ironically ending after the jazzy soft rock sheen of "Return of Inspiration" -- holds its own with the best of Supergrass, filled with mammoth melodies and unbridled fun. Its more than enough to make Diamond Hoo Ha worth hearing, and its just enough to illustrate the difference (and the merits) between inspiration and craft. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 10 Title: iTunes Session Released: 2008-08-29 Tracks: 4 Duration: 13:01 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Fin (Live In San Francisco) (03:18) 2 Grace (Live In San Francisco) (02:44) 3 Low C (Live In San Francisco) (03:41) 4 St Petersburg (Live In San Francisco) (03:16) |
 | Album: 10 of 10 Title: Essential Released: 2012-03-23 Tracks: 14 Duration: 42:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Caught by the Fuzz (03:01) 2 Pumping on Your Stereo (03:20) 3 Alright (03:01) 4 Seen the Light (02:26) 5 Mansize Rooster (02:35) 6 Mary (04:01) 7 Bullet (02:30) 8 Lose It (02:38) 9 Time (03:12) 10 Wait for the Sun (04:08) 11 Were Not Supposed To (02:05) 12 Lenny (02:42) 13 In It for the Money (03:06) 14 Richard III (03:18) |