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Album Details

• Artist: Gruff Rhys
• Album: Candylion
• Label: Rough Trade
• Year of Release: 2007
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2008-05-10

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Candylion is an album that I keep coming back to so I thought it deserved a review. If you are familiar with Welsh indie pop group Super Furry Animals then you know who Gruff Rhys is. He's the frontman of this band that has been going for almost 2 decades now. In 2005 he released his first all Welsh solo album Yr Atal Genhedlaeth. In 2007 the all English affair (save for a Spanish track and one Welsh one) Candylion was released and while a lot of the music contained is not instant, it does keep you coming back for more.

The title track is so sweet, not just by name, but by overall feel. It's the type of song that should get anyone who likes pop music into Rhys' solo album. "Lonesome Words" has a slight Spaghetti Western feel to it. A little country with a little flamenco thrown in. It's one of the many highlights of Candylion. Gruff also takes on a bit of a twangy sound with "Beacon In The Darkness". He takes on an airy feel on the next track "Con Carino" that ends up being strangely hypnotic.

Candylion ends up being quite diverse for a solo album and different enough from the Super Furry Animals catalog. It's a bit more roots oriented than some of the SFA material in the past. A great listen for anyone looking for something new in the pop genre.

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