More Selfies In The Sunset: A Quick Review Of The New (Old) Gruff Rhys Album For Record Store Day 2020
A day after I reviewed Angel Olsen's new album of stripped-back versions of her own songs, I'm here to review a similar stripped-back release from one Gruff Rhys. Rhys, front-man of Super Furry Animals, is clearly one of this site's favorite singers and this release is likely to only further cement that idea. Rather than a version of 2018's Babelsberg, this one is the blueprint for that one. Recorded in 2016, these are the first versions of the songs that would end up on that 2016 Rough Trade release. (Don't) Welcome The Plague As A Blessing / The Babelsberg Basement Files, out on Saturday for Record Store Day 2020, stands on its own as an essential album in this man's solo career, and for anyone who learned to love this vocalist's unique set of skills.
From the faint twang of "Frontier Man" and to the rush of "Oh! Dear", it's clear that these versions are more than early demos. These are fully-realized songs, with minimal instrumentation. That said, they work perfectly this way, and stand up as the equals of what ended up on Babelsberg (2018) for the most part. "Limited Edition Heart" has more of a Syd Barrett-vibe here, while "Negative Vibes" sounds like some Laurel Canyon gem from earlier decades in America. Effortlessly tuneful, everything on (Don't) Welcome The Plague As A Blessing / The Babelsberg Basement Files glides past a listener with a zest that's surprising. Un-moored from the arrangements on the 2018 release, these early renditions feel as light as air, with only closer "Selfies in the Sunset" more elaborate here, away from the duet it'd end up being with Lily Cole on the album proper in 2018. This one is still special here, and even a casual fan would be wise to seek out this record.
(Don't) Welcome The Plague As A Blessing / The Babelsberg Basement Files is out on Record Store Day 2020 via Rough Trade.
More details on Gruff Rhys via GruffRhys.com.
[Photo: Jim Ellis/Ochr 1/Antena - Wiki Commons]