Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Gruff Rhys Hotel Shampoo Review


My review of Gruff Rhys's latest album Hotel Shampoo is now up over at Donnybrook.

Here's just a quick take on the album:
"Beginning with “Shark Ridden Waters,” the listener is immediately swept into a world of espionage and intrigue as if they were in a sexy, retro spy thriller. A smooth ’60s-era melody cycles hypnotically in the background as Rhys gently coos shadowy lyrics like, “I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but lately I’ve been feeling like I’m truly… at the end.”

From there, the album quickly pivots from song to song in a quirky, schizophrenic journey that somehow manages to make sense. The tracks range from glum ballads like “Sophie Softly” to the upbeat and frenetic piano of “Sensations In The Dark” and the ’90s alternative rock throwback of “Patterns Of Power” with its Weezer-esque guitar riffs. Throughout each of these stylistic transformations, Rhys’s light falsetto is always present, imbuing each track with slight tinges of misery."
Head over to Donnybrook to read the rest or check out the video to "Shark Ridden Waters" below.

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