Gruff Rhys - Atheist Xmas EP

I really wanted to like this; Super Furry Animals hold a special place in my affections as the first band I saw live and one of the first bands I became properly obsessed by. In his capacity as a solo artist Gruff Rhys has penned some brilliant songs and, in 2007’s “Candylion”, crafted one truly great album. But this year’s “Hotel Shampoo”, despite garnering it’s fair share of critical praise, never grabbed me in the same way, with it’s slick piano ballads pushing it into the territory of becoming a (whisper it) lounge album. Everything seemed too neat, too simple, too dull. From the frontman of a band as weird and wonderful as Super Furry Animals, it seemed like a misstep.

But I’m not reviewing “Hotel Shampoo” here, so why the preamble? Because I’m sad to say “Atheist Xmas EP” makes the exact same mistakes that record did. It starts off pleasantly enough with Post Apocalypse Christmas, but after meandering along for just over two minutes it’s finished and you’d be hard pressed to remember anything about it. Next track At The End Of The Line is a similarly workmanlike affair, undoubtedly competent but completely lacking in excitement or inventiveness. Even the jazzy breakdown at the end sounds meticulously rehearsed. It’s a far cry from the likes of Now That The Feeling Is Gone or Skylon.

As a fan of misery, you’d think Slashed Wrists This Christmas would be right up my street, yet far from being an acerbic dose of xmas anguish the song’s suicidal lyric is delivered over what sounds like a Casio demo track. Which has been looped for six minutes. However accomplished a musician Rhys may be, he never sounds comfortable behind the piano - it’s no coincidence that the best tracks on “Hotel Shampoo” (Patterns of Power, Sensations In The Dark) were those where the instrument was least prominent. This EP is just further proof that the sooner Gruff’s lounge phase is over, the better.

4/10

Jed. x