I’ve always kept Super Furry Animals at arm’s length, like something I’m slightly suspicious of. I’m sure there are plenty of people out there who would argue that I’ve not given them a proper chance, missed out on the clever subtleties of their songwriting. To those people I shrug nonchalantly.

Despite my feelings toward Super Furry Animals, I had a good feeling about Gruff Rhys’ second solo album and eagerly slid it into my CD player. I’m not quite sure why I had this feeling but it turns out my instincts were correct. With Candylion, Gruff has collected eleven (the first track itself points out “this is not a song”, before you get pedantic) joyous and often mesmerising pop songs.

The backbone of each song is always a simple piece for acoustic guitar and voice, but as each has more different instruments and sounds layered on top it begins to take on a new form, giving it a dreamlike quality. It’s the kind of album that wraps you up in sound and ideas, completely removing you from reality for its duration. Forty five minutes after pressing play you’ll find yourself sitting exactly where you were, feeling like you’ve been somewhere but never quite sure where.

Label: Rough Trade
Website: www.candylion.co.uk
Release date: 8th January 2007

Tracklist:

1. This Is Just The Beginning
2. Candylion
3. The Court Of King Arthur
4. Lonesome Words
5. Cycle Of Violence
6. Painting People Blue
7. Beacon In The Darkness
8. Con Cariño
9. Gyrru Gyrru Gyrru
10. Now That The Feeling Has Gone
11. Ffrwydriad Yn Y Ffurfafen
12. Skylon!