Supergrass - Diamond Hoo Ha

by Jon Fletcher

Supergrass? Mediocre more like

"This is clunky, chunky glam rock by numbers and it feels effortless in the worst sense of the word."

Supergrass were never known for their lyrical mastery but even so this latest missive – their sixth full length – plumbs new depths. We don’t know (and we’re not sure we want to) what sort of comfortable anaesthesia causes a band to resort to lines like “Got to get you in my suitcase / Oh can’t you see / I want you”, but it can’t be pretty.

Tongue in cheek in its awfulness? Probably. Does this excuse it? Unlikely. Is this the best they’ve got? Well, yes and no.

Certainly the lyrics never exactly blossom, but by the time we reach ‘Rebel In You’ there’s at least a hint of the Supergrass of old. This has always been a band at its best when having fun – that’s why they’re such a great live act – and it’s the songs with a bluesier, more playful tone that win here. Sadly, there’s just not enough of them.

That’s because ‘Diamond Hoo Ha’ boasts a lot of fluff and not a lot of tunes. This is clunky, chunky glam rock by numbers and it feels effortless in the worst sense of the word. That’s not to say this is a bad album; it’s just not awfully good. Like porridge, it’s filling, but not particularly appetising and despite the name, there’s little that glitters.

Supergrass have been and can be much better. They are still a great live band, but old fans will find little to excite here, while newcomers will find richer pickings in the back catalogue. Hopefully better things are still to come.

Be the first to comment on this article