Guerrilla

(for reference, I am reviewing the double disk reissue)If Wikipedia is not lying (why would it ever??) the singer intentionally wrote the lyrics for Guerilla to be about nothing in particular. It shows. The words are very silly, and it is hard to not get at least a chuckle from such lines like "We ride tornadoes.... We eat tomatoes". Overall, a silly album (with some OCCASIONAL dips into meaningful territory like "Wherever I lay my phone...... that's my home" and "Some things come from nothing, Nothing seems to come from something"). MUSIC-wise, this is when SFA finally started experimenting full-time with club and techno. The already mentioned "Wherever I lay my phone" and "Some things come from nothing" are prime examples of something you play when you want to chill and/or move your body! (or just headbang, that works too.... good for the brain and hair)The second disk comes with SIX tracks, unlike the prior 2 reissues. Could even count as a mini album, and it is very enjoyable with 2 long meditative tracks and 4 high energy rockers.All in all, an anti-serious album of high quality. Get it now, or wait until a reissue.

Beware! This great collection of songs has a sneaky prank at the end of side one. Maybe older fans of SFA were aware, but I wasn’t. Last song side one must’ve played backwards. It sounds like a pressing error as the needle simply won’t track to that song. Unfortunately, Amazon paid for this as I sent my first copy back for replacement. you have to physically place the needle at the end of the record and the song will play. Don’t send this record back. It’s supposed to be this way.

Very awesome album, people.I especially like the more electronic-sounding tracks ("Wherever I Lay My Phone", "The Door to This House Remains Open"-- they'll definitely make you dance!).That isn't to say that their softer tracks, such as "The Turning Tide" and "Some Things Come From Nothing" aren't equally as amazing... very nice anti-war lyrics (sadness inclined) in these two songs.And then SFA will throw you a complete curve ball, and include in this album the jazzy intro "Check It Out," the salsa-like "Northern Lites," and B-52's-sounding "Nightvision."I have loved the Super Furry Animals since I discovered "The Turning Tide", the reason I bought this album. I was pleasantly surprised that they know how to keep an album varied and precise, and that this album includes a good mix of soft and loud songs.

Must have!

What to say of SFA? That they're brilliant? OK. They're (let's face it) a little "off"? Umm, yeah. But what strikes me most about this amazing band is that they're totally fearless, the way all great artists are fearless. The way Bob Dylan's fearless. Or the way the Beatles were. I think you get the idea....

10/10.

perfect!

1999 was a terrific year for psychedelic rock fans.After the Flaming Lips showed they had honed their formula to a blissed out perfection with "The Soft Bulletin" the other great psych record of the year came, of all places, from Wales, residence of the Super Furry Animals.This follow up to the welsh sung "Mwng" made abundantly clear how resourceful a band the SFA in fact were for there must be some craft involved in an album in which every single song sounds completely different from the previous."Do or Die" kicks off in punk pop style crashing into the medieval bard tune "Turning Tide" as seamlessly as the latter gives way to the enormous highlight that's the tropicalia of "Northern Lites"."Nightvision" sounds like an alternative theme song for Batman and the electronic excesses of "Wherever I Lay my Phone(that's my Home)" flow neatly into the lo fi dirge of "Some things come from nothing" giving the impression that if the album ended at this point it would already be masterful.But it doesn't.It keeps piling on surprises like the festive techno workout "The Door to this House remains open", the sped up rock n'roll of"The Teacher" or the pastoral "Fire in my Heart"(a Gorky's Zygotic Mynci song in all but ownership).As if it wasn't enough the record closes on a high note with the lovely "Chewing Chewing Gum" and the beatlesque stomp "Keep the Cosmic Trigger Happy".Always diverse, always interesting the SFA have trully fashioned themselves into trailblazing visionaries waiting for the world to catch up with them, which it will sooner or later.