Gruff Rhys : Candylion

<p><a href="Reviews/Album_Reviews/Gruff_Rhys_%3A_Candylion/"><img src="http://www.qromag.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/gruffrhys.jpg" alt=" " /></a> Super Furry Animals' frontman Gruff Rhys has a knack for the wacky.  Like a UK version of The Flaming Lips, the Furries have...
7.9 Rough Trade
2007 

 Super Furry Animals' frontman Gruff Rhys has a knack for the wacky.  Like a UK version of The Flaming Lips, the Furries have known a very personal level of superstardom, especially thanks to their bizarre live appearances.  

On Candylion, Rhys' second solo album, he still keeps a grip on that sense of humor but wraps it around a highly-skilled set of acoustic rock, and this time, even mostly English vocals.  The album intelligently exudes a bubbly persona while cranking out a slew of eccentric rock jams. 

In the opening track, "This Is Just The Beginning", Rhys displays an almost video game style of instrumentation resembling the Far East with a strangely honest, distorted voice.  The title track that follows is a mellow, bubblegummy acoustic nodder with an airy refrain.  This style sets the tone of the rest of the album.  "Cycle of Violence" is quick and bobbing with "Sha la la la"s scattered in between lines around violence and terror.  The sharp humor is prevalent throughout Candylion.

Rhys' strength is his ability to turn a gentle acoustic guitar and croon into a compelling, radio-friendly song.  "Beacon In The Darkness" has a that basic level of infectiousness, as does "Painting People Blue".  There's a slightly dark edge to each song, otherwise they'd be far poppier, but Rhys wrangles them in and stirs each one up with a different intricate drumbeat or mixture of piano and background noises that give the album its true character.

For his second solo effort, Rhys succeeds in accomplishing an very creative mix that few bands could. A thoughtful simplicity is at the root of each tune, but each one has the intangible that makes them worth more than the sum of their parts.  A British star as underrated in America as any, Rhys shows his value goes far beyond Super Furry Animals and eventually the UK audience.  

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