Rating: 9.5/10
Best tracks: "Sun Hits the Sky", "Late in the Day", "Richard III", "In it for the Money", "Hollow Little Reign", "It's Not Me", "G-Song", "Tonight"....okay, the whole album!
In it for the Money was one of the first albums I ever truly, truly loved, and as such will always remain one of my absolute all-time favourites. Yet, listening to it again proves that it's not just nostalgia that's the reason why I love Supergrass' second album so; the main reason is because it's a non-stop thriller of a pop masterpiece that's definitely one of the now-derided Britpop era's brightest moments. Less irrepressible and teenage-kicks oriented than its predecessor, there's a slightly more grown-up feel to proceedings here. That doesn't mean that the band got too old, too fast; it's just that if the debut sounded like it was fifteen, then this sounds like it's twenty-one years old....so, still young, just a little older, that's all! There's a weirder, slightly darker, introspective and even claustrophobic atmosphere in places, but that probably doesn't do justice and this is, for all its relatively darker directions, is one of the most FUN records I've ever heard. Every track's a monster, every track's a beauty, this is Supergrass' golden moment and it's frankly criminal that it wasn't the huge success it could have been. If all retro Britpop was this awash with thrills, kaleidoscopic energy and terrific hooks, then the era would have been truly as mighty as its ego imagined it was.
The opening title track honestly blows the debut to bits; it's THAT good. I get goosebumps listening to that intro, which chants its way into a euphoric rock monster that brings together magnificent brass, fantastic rhythms, vocals and one hell of a chorus that could have gone for another few minutes and I wouldn't have got bored, but no- it's rudely interrupted by the amazing "Richard III", which is like the nasty twin of "Alright" and, if properly broken down and analysed, probably contains all you need to know on how to create a Great Pop Song, but I'm too busy having such a fantastic time to bother thinking about it; every second of this one is so damn good, so exciting that I'd consider putting it on repeat over and over, but why delay the impending rush of "Tonight" any longer? I love the slightly stop-start rhythm that eventually gives way to a soaring, mighty chorus (great brass on this one too!).
Now on I Should Coco, there were a few songs, like "Time" and "Sofa (Of My Lethargy)" that pointed to a relatively more grown-up sound to Supergrass; "Late in the Day" sees that sound even more fully realised and what a song it is; on an album full of classics, this might be the best one of the lot. Far dreamier and bittersweet than anything the band had ever done up until this point, it's painfully lovely, yet it breaks out into a joyous, delightful chorus that works so well and so beautifully....then there's a slightly eerie Theremin effect that leads into a heartbreakingly fantastic guitar solo that's one of the band's loveliest, most powerful moments....then that chorus again! Great, great song, and listening to it now, I'd forgotten just how much I adored it when I first heard this album. The groovy, extremely fine "G-Song" has a chunky riff that plays like a slower, more drunken "Lenny" from the debut; this song might not stand out as much on first listen, but it's a real grower....at one stage it even became my favourite on the album. A lot of it has to do with its ending, which in its own, innocuous way, is another truly classic moment on an album embarrassingly crammed to the limit with them.
A true classic arrives next with "Sun Hits the Sky", which was the song that made me double-take regarding this band; before this, I'd found their singles to be fun and charming but I didn't bother to investigate the I Should Coco album that they came from (something I did retrospectively on the strength of this album), but this one made me stand up and go "Hey....what's going on here?"; well, we have great bass (especially at the very groovy end), one start-stop bit that's pure genius (and it's used again later on), a chorus that's pure ecstasy, and a mid-section that's at once hilarious, preposterous, magnificent, epic, thrilling, wonderful.....what a band! The glorious "Going Out" lets rip with its brass-led majesty and proved to be a great single, while the autumnal, melancholic "It's Not Me" is extremely lovely and wracked with emotion, not to mention a so-silly yet so-right electronic effect during the first verse that's pure genius. Additionally, the link between the former's electronic pulse and the latter's evening-tinged acoustic beauty is one of the album's sweetest moments. The rambunctious choruses and slinky verses of "Cheapskate" and the slightly Beatles-ish stomp of "You Can See Me" keep this album's momentum going very strongly indeed. "Hollow Little Reign" is the album's most overlooked treasure, it being tucked away near the end of the album; it exudes smoky, bluesy atmosphere and there's a lovely guitar stretch near the end. The bonkers "Sometimes I Make You Sad" is like I Should Coco twisted and turned inside out in a hall of mirrors; it's got a bouncy, circus-esque feel that ends this magnificent album very appropriately.
It's difficult to convey just how fantastic this band were at this stage in their lifetime, and for me, as a 16 year old out to find the ultimate musical pop rush, Supergrass were definitely there at the right place and the right time. "If you like me, you can buy me and take me home" sings Gaz on "You Can See Me". Take his advice. Get this album.
