Super Furry Animals – Love Kraft

 

Super Furry Animals – Love Kraft

By

Jesse E. Mullen

 

 

You’ve bought a tank and outfitted it with a sound system that blasts techno music. You’ve sampled Steely Dan to obscene proportions. You often perform in costume and recorded a track which features Paul McCartney chewing vegetables on it. Where else to go from here?

So was the story of Super Furry Animals. Up until 2005, the Cardiff quintet was led by singer/songwriter/rhythm guitarist Gruff Rhys. But for Love Kraft, Rhys decided to give democracy a try. As a result, all members – except for bassist Guto Pryce – contribute lead vocals to at least one song.

For a band with a singular vision, this is a risky proposition. Because fans had grown accustomed to Rhys’ singing and writing style, anything of lesser quality would be rejected. But Super Furry Animals were all about taking risks. And as the listener comes to find out, the risk was all worth it. 

Huw Bunford’s “Back On A Roll” has a groove reminiscent of mid-70s R&B with funky electric piano on top. One surprising aspect of the “new” songwriters is how well their voices blend in with Rhys – you’d think it was him on lead vocals if not for the liner notes.

Keyboardist Cian Ciaran contributes a lush, strings-led ballad in “Walk You Home.” The wall-of-sound production is so accurate, that one could be fooled into thinking Phil Spector produced it. 

Most surprisingly, drummer Dafydd Ieuan contributes an absolutely gorgeous ballad in “Atomik Lust.” Ieuan did not have the songwriting experience of members such as Rhys or Ciaran, nor the arranging experience of Bunford. Yet he somehow turned out the highlight of the album.

“Atomik Lust” begins with backwards strings and acoustic guitars. It is atmospheric, spacey, and is perfectly complimented by Ieuan’s lyrics about a lunar eclipse. But as the song builds, it is clear that Ieuan is not just singing about the moon, but of love. Huw Bunford contributes a guitar solo to the bridge that sounds Paul McCartney circa 1970.

Which is not to say Gruff Rhys didn’t bring his A-Game. His song “Cloudberries” is a heartfelt ballad accompanied by Ciaran’s electric piano. Not to be outdone by Ieuan, he also uses the bridge to shake things up. But instead of a triumphant solo by Bunford, he ironically uses Ieuan’s drums to build the groove. 

Some bands were never meant to be a democracy. But Love Kraft shows that for Super Furry Animals, it was an interesting way forward. Though not a late career return to form – they never lost their form – it offers something better. A progressive shakeup to the balance of the band.

XL/2005