Life on Other Planets [Enhanced]

Supergrass | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 11, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced
• Label: Island
• ASIN: B000088E60
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #66,064 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Life on Other Planets is proof positive that you just never know what a band has in them. While the notoriously blunted Supergrass have always produced vividly screaming pop, their songs never followed an arc, instead flashing their moments of knuckleheaded brilliance before shuffling off in another direction. While Life on Other Planets, their fourth disc, has the band’s goofball hallmarks--random coughs, braying animals, and mashed potato references, to name three--the songs go somewhere, and they yank us along with them. From the galloping chorus in "Grace," to the rickety handheld percussion and soft phrasings of "Evening of the Day," and the zippy distorted guitar lead in "Rush Hour Soul," Supergrass offers complete pop pictures with enormous detail and lots of instrumental extras. And the songs really rock. Plus, it's hard not to be staggered by a group that cagily writes about offbeat topics like expired witches ("Brecon Beacons") and life among the dead ("Prophet 15") while remembering to make those bridges and choruses soar. --Kim Hughes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This isn't Brit-Pop, this is Rock music, April 21, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Life on Other Planets (Audio CD)

Back in the mid-90's, I was hooked on the Brit-pop craze that conquered the US with the likes of Blur and Oasis. Blur was my favorite. While I haven't heard those CD's in years, I remember seeing Soundgrass' "Pumping On Your Stereo" on MTV2 four years ago. It literally raised the hairs on the back of my neck. Only Roger Daltrey's scream and finale to "Won't Get Fooled Again" has ever done that! After getting burned by bands such as Spacehog, I decided to stick with what I know (Classic Rock, Seattle Bands). A couple of weeks ago, a friend bought L.O.O.P.,(along with the other three releases). Let's just say this is the first time since I was nine (I'm 33) that I've been totally blown away by a rock band. It's as if the members of this band took the Beatles, Who, Stones, Bowie, T-Rex, Byrds, early Traffic, Thunderclap Newman, Tom Petty, Velvet Underground/Lou Reed, Jefferson Airplane, etc. and stirred it into one giant kettle. The outcome is a totally original sound. Their music is so complex, take "Rush Hour Soul". The bulk of the song is Hunky Dory Bowie-esque, but the chorus is late 60's Pink Floyd. How can you do that? This is an amazing band, and without a doubt the best on the planet right now. While Supergrass is selling platinum albums in the rest of the world, the shallow US music market is hooked on rap and bubble gum pop. All that matters now is how pretty you are and how many ways you can make money selling your image. What a shame.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Might end up as my all time favorite...., April 2, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Life on Other Planets (Audio CD)

this album really grew on me. At first listen, I wasn't really "getting it". But as time went by, I'm to the point now where I'm thinking this might be one of the best CD's in my collection.
I had the pleasure of listening to this CD alot in upper Michigan this past winter (I brought limited belongings with me). I was borrowing someone else's car (a 1998 Oldmobile Intrigue which to me is one of the most underappreciated, affordable, cars out there). The Olds had a single disc CD player in it (and a great sound system). With the single disc player, the last song would end in sync with how the first song begins. I listened to this CD seemlessly for about 3 hours just wondering how Supergrass could do something this good and not get rich by it. (I also got a $300 dollar speeding ticket in central Wisconsin, driving "lost" on a Sunday morning with this disc playing. (Phuckin' brilliant stuff guys!!)
I think this album is the bands finest hour to date, and hope that somehow they achieve a greater measure of success than they currently enjoy. (I'm nauseated at the number of used CD's available on Amazon of this particular title. Once again I wonder, how in the world are bands supposed to make it these days?) I know this isn't a new recording, but I am planning to buy multiple copies of this title online and give them away as Christmas presents in 2004 to the uninitiated (whether they like it or not).
....(as a sidenote)....
Sorry if this seems corny to some people but being 41, I have fond memories of the album format. If it were the mid seventies, and this were released as an album, and the last five songs constituted the "B" side, I would consider it one of the great album sides of all time.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Keyboard is King?, March 11, 2003

By 

Paul J. Mazzoni "bologna4" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Life on Other Planets (Audio CD)

I can't believe Supergrass isn't more popular than they are. For awhile, I wondered if this album would be released in the U.S. Well, it's here....and it's fantastic! Like their debut, "I Should Coco," this CD is an eclectic mix of punk (Never Done Nothing Like That Before), pop (Grace), 70's rock (Seen the Light), and other genres. It works beautifully. However, I must warn you that if you hate keyboards, you might not like it. I say "might not" because the keyboards are not distracting, nor do they play center stage. But they are used to make a variety of sounds and capture the feel of old 70's tunes. For example, I could almost swear I am listening to ELO when I hear "Prophet 15."

The album kicks off with the very relaxed and spacey "Za" but immediately gets to rocking with "Rush Hour Soul." My favorite song on the CD is probably "Brecon Beacons," which has a very engaging bass line. My only complaint (if you could call it that) is that many of the songs are short. I would be surprised if any are over 4 minutes. But with 12 songs, the CD is regular length, not some 30-minute job. Like the last CD, there's a lot of hand-clapping and extraneous sounds, but it's still true Supergrass. This is the type of music I wish I would hear on the radio more. Maybe someday I will, but if so, Supergrass will be the #1 band in America!