Track Listing

1. Gateway Song
2. Run Away
3. Show Your Hand
4. Gift That Keeps Giving
5. Neo Consumer
6. Into The Night
7. Baby Ate My Eightball
8. Carbon Dating
9. Suckers
10. Battersy Odyssey
11. Let The Wolves Howl At The Moon

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #29321 in Music
• Released on: 2007-08-27
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
After a short run of albums that found Super Furry Animals exploring their slower, more ponderous side, Hey Venus! sees Wales’ heady psychedelic explorers revisit the bright melodies and glammy bounce that powered earlier albums like 1999’s Guerilla and their fondly remembered debut, Fuzzy Logic. While a vague sort of concept album, following the narrative of a character, Venus, as she moves from a small town to a great metropolis, Super Furries know enough about songcraft not to let the backstory overshadow the melodies. "Run-Away" comes on like Queen and the Beach Boys jamming on a Christmas Top of the Pops, "Neo Consumer" is a pile-up of infectious vocal melodies, singalong choruses and electronic blips that stubbornly refuses to outstay its welcome, and as is customary these days, Bunf gets a chance on the microphone for the profoundly odd "Battersey Odyssey". And to play counter to all this cheer and exuberance, there’s a pair of late-doors slowies, "Suckors" and "Let the Wolves Howl at the Moon", that usher the album to a serene close. Eight albums in, and we’re still waiting for Super Furry Animals to deliver a dud album; at this rate, it’s never going to happen. --Louis Pattison

CD Description
Gruff Rhys and co's eighth studio album is the eagerly awaited follow-up to 2005's critically acclaimed Love Kraft. Recorded in both France and Wales the album follows the story of the character 'Venus' and her journey from the country to the city. Featuring a full string orchestra and the band's trademark quirky instrumentation, 'Hey Venus' sees the Super Furries back to their psychedelic best with a record full ofinstantly catchy melodies, Beach Boys style close harmoniesand weird and wonderful musical touches.

Customer Reviews

Super Furry Belter........
At first, I was a bit underwhelmed by this effort. Im a massive SFA fan, and on first rotation, it seemed a bit of a let down. But I really should have known better. I shouldnt have doubted them. Its a cracker. Fairly short by their standards, but still delivers everything you'd expect from the furries.

Its actually a lot more closer in style to their early albums as opposed to the layered lushness of Love Kraft, or the phsycadelic oddessy of Rings Around the World. The songs are main priority. 'Gateway Song', to quote the lyrics, "takes us up nicely to the harder stuff", 'Run Away' has that lovely sweeping melody were all in love with and 'Show Your Hand' is just a classic pop song. Other highlights include the singlong shout of 'Neo Consumer (very Fuzzy Logic) and the impossibly catchy 'Baby Ate My Eightball'.

I disagree with the review by Boris Vita below. Whats the problem with a slow song? Have you never heard 'Fire In My Heart', 'Hello Sunshine' and 'Gwreiddiau Dwfn/Mawrth Oer Ar Y Blaned Neifion'? Theyre all classics and slow as you like. The slower songs on here, like 'The Gift That Keeps Giving', 'Carbon Dating' and 'Let The Wolves Howl At The Moon' are top notch, and offer a pleasant meander through SFA lovliness.

Overall, this album offers everything you'd expect from the furries; top quality songs, catchy hooks and gorgeous melody. If youre an SFA fan, you probably already got the album and know what im talking about. I just cant see a decline in quality in 8 albums. If youre an SFA virgin, this would be a good place to start. Once theyre in your life will be so much better with that Super Furry glow!

SFA OK!

Simply F'ing Amazing
Super Furry Animals return (have they ever been away?) with their eighth studio album, Hey Venus! and - let me cut straight to the case - it's wonderful. This is probably one of their least experimental albums and, although there have been dissenting murmurs amongst serious SFA fans that they're 'playing it too safe', I think this approach has paid dividends on one of their most consistent albums to date.

They are on top of their psychedelic form with this album chock-full of instant catchy melodies and close-knit Beach Boys-style harmonies and genuinely original songs which sound as if you've known them your whole life. It probably has more in common to their earlier efforts than their last couple of albums, but still has a slightly different and distinctly softer edge than anything they've done before.

This album isn't likely to make headlines, win the Mercury Music Prize or feature in many 'album of the year' lists in a couple of months, but it probably deserves all those things, but because of their longevity, this release will probably pass all but the long-time SFA fan and the person dedicated to seeking out new, great music by. Their loss, I say. This is a brilliant album, full of warmth, love, fun, strangeness and eccentricity and one of the best I've heard this year.

Highlights: The magnificent Run Away (one of the best songs they've ever released), the immensely catchy Show Your Hand and the gorgeous The Gift That Keeps Giving.

Although those are my highlights, there isn't a bad song on this album. Highly recommended.

Furry Vision
I've listened to a promo of the full album and The Furries have produced yet another class album.

Baby Ate My Eight Ball, Carbon Dating, The Gift That Keeps on Giving, Run Away, Suckers, Into The Night and Neo Consumer are all top tunes. The rest is highly rated as well.

My only fault would be that it's not long enough but apparently they've got more albums on the way.

All other bands should take a good look at what SFA have done during their long illustrious career. Who else could claim to have such a fantastic varied array of albums.

The vision for the future is bright and Furry!!