Road to Rouen

by

Supergrass

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This is the best Supergrass album–heck, the best album I've listened to period–in a couple of years. The previous album that had this much of an impact on me (and my stereo which hasn't stopped spinning since) was The Flaming Lips' "Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots". I don't know what these people are talking about calling this album "disappointing"! Far from it! This is simply good music. This is what rock should be. These songs try to take you back to a time when music was in fact music! I can't stop listening to it, whether I'm on the road or in bed. All the tracks are catchy and were instant favorites of mine. And as you keep listening, the songs just keep getting better. You start picking out a riff or a sound that you didn't notice before. "Road To Rouen" is a bit Beatlesque, but in a good way. The Beatles had good song structure, and I think Supergrass is tapping into that on this album. The first track, "Tales of Endurance" starts out like an album should; instrumentals building up to the vocals. This album isn't mellow, but it could be to some people. It's just a bit more relaxing than those prior. If their song "Late In The Day" were an album, this would be it.

Anyway, I highly recommend it. The fact that I'm on here writing a review for it is a testament to how awe-struck I am by "Road To Rouen". I've never had the motivation to write a music review before!

Supergrass is one of those bands that has so much talent they can do anything they want. Every album up to this point has had strong ambitions and dynamic energy.

Before I heard Road To Rouen I had high expectations (of course!); some reviews I read that this would be an exceptional albeit relaxed album; comparing it to Supergrass (album) in the sense that the mood was mellow and world weary.

There are no songs that really pop out as superior. There are some really good songs like St. Petersburg, Kick In The Teeth, and Sad Girl; in fact most of the songs are great. But none of them really have that special something that identifies them as an instant classic song like Grace, Moving, Tonight, or Mansize Rooster; although St. Petersburg comes really close.

The two longer songs Tales Of Endurance (Parts 4, 5 & 6) and Roxy are pretty interesting- they are the two longest songs Supergrass has released to date. The feeling is very different than what they have done before in that they are orchested; Tales of Endurance sounds like it could have fit very neatly in with Led Zeppelin's In Through The Outdoor with it's crunchy guitar riffs and atmospheric keyboard sections.

Overall, Supergrass is still way better than most bands- and if this was any other band I might given it five stars.

If you are new to their music you should probably check out In It For The Money or one of the the other three first. If you're already a fan than you know it can't be all that bad- it's just not their best.