Cumartesi 22 Kas 2008, 8:12

Step back into my time machine, back to the summer of 1996, in Athens, Greece. I was at the Virgin Megastore, all by myself, because on my first trip to Europe I had decided I should try to pick up rare CDs or something. Virgin had a listening wall, so I tried some Greek industrial band, and although I was as into Nine Inch Nails as all the other 16 year-olds I was friends with, I ultimately decided to pick up the debut album by British band Supergrass - I Should Coco. It was on Parlaphone, and they were British, so I thought maybe it wouldn't come out in the US at all, or at least not in the near future. I was so proud of myself that I showed all the other kids back at the hotel. Classmate Lars Rehnberg looked on excitedly, telling me he'd seen their video on MTV. 120 Minutes or Alternative Nation or something. I was crushed, what I thought would be unique was known by all. Or at least by some. Anyway, fortunately, I got over that and was able to listen to the tunes. Probably the best set of tunes Supergrass ever wrote. From start to finish, this just rips, a perfect summer album for young people. "I'd Like to Know," "Caught by the Fuzz," "Strange Ones," and "She's So Loose" still resonate even now, twelve years after buying this, and easily six or more since I've last listened to it. I have three other Supergrass albums, and none of them ever hit me like this one: are they worth giving another shot? I am thinking not, as I saw Supergrass in Moscow this summer and was pretty bored with their shtick these days. Until they played "Caught by the Fuzz" for the encore: that fucking ruled, and was worth the decade plus wait.

As always, if you decide to download the record, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.