Supergrass
Diamond Hoo Ha
Astralwerks Records
By Tim Letteney
Supergrass is back with their sixth studio album, Diamond Hoo Ha. Those who didn’t enjoy the mellow stylings of their last effort (Road to Rouen) will no doubt cite Hoo Ha as return to form. In many ways the tone of this album sounds like the bastard child of In it for the Money and Life on Other Planets. But musically Supergrass isn’t returning to anything folks. They don’t need to reference their old sounds because they aren’t trying to relive their past. Supergrass is doing what they have always done: make genuine music that sonically references classic British and American rock while constantly progressing and challenging themselves and the listener.
The first cut on the album, lead single “Diamond Hoo Ha Man” is a punchy little track that immediately evokes the White Stripes and glossed up garage bands everywhere. It’s a great way to kick off the album and it effectively sets the tone as being passionate and hard nosed with an underbelly of glam and new wave. The album keeps pace until “Rebel in You”. This cut seemingly comes out of left field, as it’s the first song on the album that has its origins in sweaty indie rock dance halls. It holds a destiny to be played after Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart” to bring back the crowd’s spirits.
A music aficionado friend of mine (hi Kristen!) described “When I Needed You” as sounding strikingly similar to “Jack White suddenly leading Fleetwood Mac.” It’s a perfect description to this song that also provides an eerie visual for what my personal hell would be like. This is not the worst song on the album though, that distinction belongs to “The Return Of…“
This track comes off sounding a little too much like The Strokes or even The Walkmen. It’s odd; the song that’s the most bankrupt on creativity is the one talking about a “return of inspiration.” Either the joke is on me and they are poking fun at borrowing from the overcooked New York sound, or the song is a copy of a copy. No matter what the “inspiration,” this song should have been a B-side. Keeping with the theme of the album, “Rough Knuckles” quickly remedies the lull created by “Return”. This track is steeped in nostalgia from the 1970s and 1980s. It’s a poppy song that makes you want to move your hips, adjust your shoulder pads and forget all about AIDS.
The most in your face song on the album is without a doubt “Whiskey and Green Tea”. This attention grabber starts with discordant horns and monotone chants and then immediately launches into a hard as nails guitar riff that rips through the entire song. It’s almost forgivable that some misplaced saxophone is sprinkled throughout. What nearly kills the song are the lyrics: it’s not even that they are all that terrible. They are just completely void of linear meaning, and for a song that begs you to “sing along with me,” it’s a hard sell. Regardless it’s a solid track that’s potential was probably better than its realization.
Supergrass’s Diamond Hoo Ha is a great success in that it demonstrates a well-established band brazenly experimenting with their sound while maintaining the quality that their fans have come to expect. Whereas bands this far into their careers typically reuse guitar sounds and reference their old lyrics, thus cashing in on the fans they isolated when they were actually trying to be creative and make heartfelt music (hi Weezer!). Yes, there are a few missteps, but it shows that the band wasn’t comfortable with creating a tepid sounding album. Instead they chose to push themselves and try new things. This is why Supergrass is a top tier band worthy of continued adulation. No matter how glitzy the cover, how lighthearted and infectious the songs, let it be known that this is a concept album. This is a different Supergrass than many fans are used to. They have once again altered their sound and created something that no one was expecting. It may be steeped in pulpy pomp and circumstance but it’s genuine and well constructed. Diamond Hoo Ha is a solid album that is well worth your time and money.
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