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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
What happens when rock’s young whippersnappers grow up? The last few Supergrass albums have seen a creeping maturity enter their happy-go-lucky design, but on Road To Rouen - the Oxford outfit’s fifth album – there’s little trace remaining of the wide-eyed adolescents that barrelled so madly through "Caught By The Fuzz".
The opening "Tales Of Endurance (Parts 4,5 & 6)" is a case in point: evolving from a gentle, rolling vista of warm brass and stroked piano into a rollicking rock groove over five-and-a-half minutes, frontman Gaz Coombes cooing lyrics about "commercial suicide" from the centre of the jam, it’s unquestionably the work of a band with pretensions that reach far beyond the desire to pen a tight pop single. This would be a terrible thing if the ‘Grass didn’t have the chops to pull it off, but the likes of the gently Beatlesesque "St Petersburg" and the string-augmented "Roxy" boast the sort of intuitive, on-point musicmanship that would shame a band twice their age. And pleasingly, too, there’s still room for the odd burst of eccentricity, in the shape of the peculiar, polka-tinged "Coffee In The Pot". --Louis Pattison
Review
Supergrass have always been a singles band as proved by last year's Supergrass Is 10, one of the best singles collections ever made. However, the albums since '97's In It For The Money have left many disappointed and sadly Road To Rouen is no exception.
After the release of the singles compilation the band have started a new chapter in their history. They've grown up and want us to realise it; this album is more low key and features an impressive array of instruments including a ukulele, zithers, brass and strings.
Written and recorded in France after a succession of unfortunate events (the death of Gaz Coombes' mother and the tabloid exposure of Danny Goffey's wife-swapping antics to name but two) this album attempts to bury the chirpiness of the past. They've dispensed with the catchy choruses and the larking around, replacing them with introspective musings.
Much of this album ambles along pleasantly without anything particularly sticking out. The exceptions include the first single, the gentle piano-led strum "St Petersburg", which would actually sound more at home on a Divine Comedy album. Only on the Beatles-like "Kick In The Teeth" and on the Coral-esque hopalong hokum of "Coffee In The Pot" does a sign of the Supergrass of yore show itself. Thankfully the essence of japery and cheekiness hasn't completely vanished.
Supergrass have outlasted most of their contemporaries and still have it in them to make a truly amazing masterpiece. Unfortunately Road To Rouen is not quite it. --Jack Smith
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Lovely Surprise,
By
This review is from: Road To Rouen (Audio CD)
First off all, let's get the past out of the way. This is no I Should Coco..if you are looking to the past for an idea of the sound, you can't go far wrong with Moving and Late In The Day. The album sees Supergrass in a far more adult view of life, with songs taking on a more evolved feel. The opening track Tales Of Endurance (Parts 4,5 & 6) has an almost Beatles White album feel, with the group going from one style to another all within one track. The first single St Petersburg was again an interesting choice of single, as it clearly represents the feel of the album, but lacks that instant feel that commercial radio craves. The key tracks after this are Roxy and Road To Rouen (which cranks up the album briefly). Don't get me wrong, I like this album alot..it's just if you want the short punchy singles of the past, then this won't be for you. If you want a complete album, then don't think twice...by this album...you will enjoy it.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
very much underrated - 5,5 stars,
By
This review is from: Road To Rouen (Audio CD)
This is classical rock music in the tradition of the beatles, Lennon solo and the Who ('coffee in the pot' is typical the Who humour), that's to mention a few. All new music nowadays is getting less and less innovative and going back all the time to the great bands in the 60's and 70's. Does that mean it is annoying that it already been done before? NO... Or is it in anyway possible to be great music then? Yes. It is beautifully produced and the arrangements are perfectly done. There is a lot of hard work in here. Although it is a bit short - road to rouen the song could be made easily 5 minutes longer - every second of music on this album is very much enjoyable.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Different Slant, Same Quality and Craft,
This review is from: Road To Rouen (Audio CD)
You can never judge an album from one listen, and I purposefully wanted to give 'Road to Rouen' that little longer to exact its influence given all the advanced comments about it being Supergrass 'in different packaging'. First and foremost, this is a wonderfully executed album, its melody simply roars out from the first chord and finishes tenderly with the excellent 'Fin'.Its certainly not what we have come to expect from the 'Grass' but then, is that necessarily a bad thing? 'Don't Believe the Truth' is a vast improvement on recent fayre for Oasis, but it still seems to be pleading for the quality of yesteryear and 'Definitely Maybe'. The same can be said for X&Y, which plays far too safe in the light of 'Rush of Blood to the Head'. This is where the four lads from Oxford gain real credit. They are not afraid to break the mould even if it is to the cost of Parlophone's pockets. They have arguably written some of their deepest and best stuff in recent years 'Eon' and 'Evening of the Day' to name but two, and have gone largely unheralded. They are paying for simply having lasted the pace for a decade, which is no longer acceptable in these modern times where NME are as quick to forget you once your third album sales have levelled off. This album has balance, creativity, poignancy and a remarkable freshness and the fact it only just scrapes past 30 minutes is an irrelevance in my opinion. If you have nine tracks as wonderfully crafted as this why try to strangle the album and upset the flow. After all, its only with the demise of vinyl that we have become accustomed to albums touching an hour. 'Roxy' is the standout track, but 'Tales of Endurance' and 'Road to Rouen' itself run it close. Sadly, it is almost an inevitability that this album will not have the commercial impact of 'I Should Coco' or 'In It for the Money'. Nor will it score well with fans of the earlier Supergrass material. However, sounding like a blend of Thin Lizzy, The Beatles and Floyd this album doesn't need mass approval. It simply demands it every time you are lucky enough to partake in its 35 minute journey.
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