Diamond Hoo Ha - Dark Publications

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Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.co.uk
Oxford's Supergrass have relaxed into a comfortable sort of middle age, the youthful rush of their early albums replaced by a muscular, if somewhat conservative breed of rock'n'roll. Diamond Hoo Ha, however, shows their early mischief hasn't entirely deserted them. The opening "Diamond Hoo Ha Man" surfs out on a distinctly White Stripes riff, Danny Goffey's drums beating out a distinctly Meg-like pulse; Gaz Coombes' lyrics, meanwhile, rock out with tongue firmly planted in cheek: "When the sun goes down, I just can't resist… bite me!" Supergrass' sixth album continues along such playful lines: "Bad Blood" melds swooning melodies and gloomy lyrics ("Milk and honey!/Won't heal my heartache") to lolloping, upbeat glam riffs, "Rough Knuckles" gets surprisingly funky with some great keyboard work from fourth member Rob Coombes, and the hilarious "Whiskey & Green Tea" is a gonzoid rock number peppered with horns and lyrics about "being chased by Chinese dragons". The heartfelt "Ghost of a Friend", meanwhile, is a Dylan-tinged number that mourns the loss of an old acquaintance to the "vultures, peacocks and hounds"--a veiled diss at celebrity culture?--and throws some grand shapes towards the close. --Louis Pattison

Album Description
Recorded in Berlin's legendary Hansa studios over a 3 week period with producer Nick Launay (Arcade Fire, Nick Cave, Yeah Yeah Yeahs) Diamond Hoo Ha captures the energy and enthusiasm of a band firing on all cylinders, none more evident than on opening track Diamond Hoo Ha Man (released as a limited edition 7" in January and achieving single of the week status in NME and The Fly). To quote one review, "the beefy, stomporific riffs are back on board". A notable departure from 2005's more pastoral and reflective (yet still critically acclaimed) Road To Rouen, Diamond Hoo Ha features a handful of rocking tracks debuted last summer when Supergrass were hand-picked as main support for the Arctic Monkeys at their Old Trafford shows. Tracks such as Rough Knuckles and future singles Bad Blood and Rebel In You are welcome additions to the band's already impressive cannon of classic songs like Caught By the Fuzz, Richard III, Moving and Pumping On Your Stereo. 13 years into their career and with 5 albums and a Best Of already under their belts, Gaz, Danny, Mick and Rob are sounding fresher than ever. Since finishing the album the band have played 2 Christmas homecoming shows at Oxford Town Hall, as well as the XFM Winter Wonderland show at Brixton Academy with Bloc Party. Not to mention a series of "hush hush" club dates from Gaz and Danny under the not-so-secret identity of the Diamond Hoo Ha Men. EMI. 2008.

Customer Reviews: Read 5 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

Supergrass - Reinvented and Still Amazing March 28, 2008
20 out of 20 found this review helpful

For those who found Road to Rouen too short and melancholy, Diamond Hoo Ha provides a new angle for Supergrass. They have to a great extent returned to a much more rock and roll approach to music writing, but have picked a path that borrows a little from familiar styles while infusing them with the unmistakable genius inherent in Supergrass' songs. From the funk-laden "Diamond Hoo Ha Man" to the Bowie-influenced "Rebel in You" to the sublimely crafted "Butterfly", there are very few disappointing moments in the 41 minutes of Diamond Hoo Ha. The rating system I'll use has a 10 being the very best and lower numbers successively less than the very best. Also, keep in mind that the ratings are relative to Supergrass' overall efforts and a 7 out of 10 for a song from Supergrass would still blow the best offerings of most bands to smithereens. Let's begin:

01. Diamond Hoo Ha Man (9/10) - Has a great buzzing bass line, some slide guitar work and a great beat with Danny utilizing a shaker. The chorus kicks it up a notch, which is a trend on this release. Many of the songs crank into high gear when the chorus descends from the bridge. Loads of fun, this one.

02. Bad Blood (8/10) - This one has a solid but more sedate pumping beat that launches into a chorus rife with loud guitar, crashing cymbals and drums. This would not have been my choice for a single, but it still rocks.

03. Rebel in You (10/10) - A splendid somewhat Bowie inspired song with great backing "wooohooo"s and a driving chorus with a very memorable set of lyrics. Just a fantastic song that sets such a great tone with so many classic Supergrass hooks it grabbed me immediately.

04. When I Needed You (6/10) - One of my least favorite songs off of Diamond Hoo Ha (though it is still very good). It has a "Destination Anywhere" beat and a Beatles "Rubber Soul" era vibe. No real hooks and it never really goes anywhere but rather just plods along.

05. 345 (10/10) - I LOVE this song. THIS would have been my choice for a first single and while the verses thump along quickly (again Danny uses the shaker to great effect), the chorus explodes and the guitars come in heavy and rocking. A superb song in my opinion. Where "Kick in the Teeth" was my favorite rocking song from Road to Rouen, 345 is that song for me off of Hoo Ha.

06. Return of Inspiration (6/10) - Another OK song. The verses sound way too much like the Strokes for my taste and the chorus slows things down a bit. Overall it is a light song that has some nice moments. As stated previously, "Return..." is very listenable, but it kills the momentum created by 345.

07. Rough Knuckles (10/10) - A super-funky bass line with great accompanying keyboards carries the listener through the verses. Then you get to the chorus... It gives me chills when the chorus kicks in. For some reason the chorus sounds so familiar and rings all sorts of bells in a major deja vu way. Great song.

08. Ghost of a Friend (8/10) - A fairly fun upbeat song with influences drawing from Dylan and Queen and a million others including a David Gilmour effect on Gaz's guitar. It is a fairly fast-paced tune with more acoustic than electric throughout. Fun.

09. Whiskey & Green Tea (9/10) - A crazy song with such a variety of instruments and styles it can't be easily described. The song rocks beyond a doubt, but is so bizarre in some parts with a snare drum beating out a march followed by 70's glam saxophone and synths. You really have to hear it to be able to understand how cool and skewed this song is.

10. Outside (8/10) - Another minor-keyed song that picks up the pace from the verses to the bridges to the choruses. I liked the song very much, but again it seemed to go in circles without a destination. Rob's keyboard work pulls from some great 70's and 80's techniques and bends his notes masterfully. After "Whiskey...", this song lacks punch.

11. Butterfly (10/10) - An epic song in the vein of "Roxy" from Road to Rouen. Over-produced in the most wonderful way, this song gives me goose bumps when I hear it. It uses a driving beat and anthemic vocals with superb supporting lead guitar to create a lifting of the spirits while at the same time evoking a sublime sense of heartache. A wonderful song.

Summary: Diamond Hoo Ha will not fail to please Supergrass fans as they have reinvented their sound (again) without sacrificing an ounce of their musical integrity. Supergrass cannot be compared to any other band around and Diamond Hoo Ha, while it borrows occasionally, is incredibly original sounding. The greatest crime here is that in the US this spectacular piece of musical output will be neglected, and a universally revered band will once again have their genius ignored. Diamond Hoo Ha has a couple of mild low points, but the many high points will take your breath away.

4 out of 5 stars

A welcome return to form and all round great rock album March 29, 2008
5 out of 13 found this review helpful

Supergrass have had a somewhat patchy discography, ranging from the crackling I Should Coco to more mediocre albums with standout songs outnumbered by more forgettable tunes; Supergrass have never lost their appeal but they have sometimes disappointed.

Just from listening to the first song, Diamond Hoo Ha Man, you know that this is a great rock album. Relatively short at only 41 minutes, but there's no filler, and there's standout tracks like 345 and Whisky & Green Tea. Though each listener will find some tracks weaker than others, there's no real dud songs, and the pace is fast enough for it not to matter anyway. There's a handful of influences to be found, but this is never overly derivative, and the album doesn't take itself that seriously that it matters.

All in all this is a definite improvement for the band, and solid enough to impress new listeners. There's all the ingredients of classic Supergrass here, and more.

5 out of 5 stars

Great Rock Music. August 12, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

If you are actually taking time to read this you probably like Supergrass anyway. But for what it's worth here's my two cents. I don't understand why these guys aren't bigger. I mean damn whats a band got to do? This album got lukewarm reviews but don't believe them. This album starts out great and gets better with each listen. This album is like a burst of seratonin. Check out the crazy sax break in 'Whiskey and Green Tea and you'll know what I mean. Plus these guys have soul. Not many white rock bands have soul anymore but if you like soul music like Curtis Mayfield or Major Lance then listen to 'Rebel in You' and tell me these guys don't have soul.

5 out of 5 stars

Amazing Album July 23, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

The first time I ever heard the name Supergrass was when I saw who was opening for the Foo Fighters concert I was going to. I had no idea who they were and wasn't expecting much. For hearing them live for the first time listening to them, I thought they were really good. The day after the concert i went to the store and got this album. After listening to the first song, I was even more blown away than at the concert. This is truely an amazing album. All the songs are good rock songs, and Gaz Coombes has an amazing voice to sing all of the songs and play good guitar. If you want to hear something good and different get this album, you won't be disapointed.

2 out of 5 stars

The weakest Supergrass CD to date August 4, 2008
2 out of 4 found this review helpful

I have been a huge Supergrass fan for many years, own all their CD's, their DVD and have seen them in concert. So, I eagerly awaited their newest CD. I have listened to it several times and can honestly say it's a disappointment. It's got a harder edge than the Road to Rouen CD, but lyrically it is lame and immature for a band that has really impressed me lyrically over the years. Very little in the area of catchy melodies. I can remember when I could have a Supergrass song playing in my head for days on end. I could listen to their disks multiple times per day. But this CD is largely forgettable; I expected much more from these guys as I have considered them outstanding songwriters, musicians and performers. This sounds like they stayed up late one night and slapped the whole thing together in a hurry. I still consider myself a fan of the band, but if this is the best they can come up with then Supergrass may want to consider calling it a day.

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