SUPERGRASS
In It For The Money
PARLOPHONE LDPCS7388

The Top 5 single Going Out, released in February 1996, made it resoundingly clear that Supergrass are much more than a three-man Britpop Playstation. While many anticipated a mouthful of chewy nougat tasting not disimilar to Alright, the band instead delivered an antsy, organ-powered eye-opener that swivelled outrageously on a 14-bar passage of brass straight out of Memphis. Fourteen months later, Supergrass now present their first album-length masterpiece.
In It For The Money, the follow-up to the Number 1 debut, I Should Coco, contains 12 songs - including Going Out - of rare and absolute charm. Every track is instantly loveable: the roaringly empowered Sun Hits The Sky has you singing along within seconds; some, like the utterly perfect ballad Late In The Day provoke the just-can't-help-but-grin impulse of Mr Blue Sky's "Hey you with the pretty face" segment, or Oh Yeah by Ash, or Jet by Paul McCartney & Wings.
There is no veneer of grandeur; they don't attempt a Pet Sounds II or anything. Assisted by co-producer John Cornfield, Gaz Coombes, Mick Quinn and Danny Goffey basically just put their chords and their phrases together intuitively, uncannily and unforgettably. The additional touches are ingenious: the beautifully laid-back Hollow Little Reign has a delicious wah-wah guitar solo; Tonight has one of the most thrilling rock 'n' roll brass arrangements since Bitch by The Rolling Stones and Coombes's keyboard-playing brother Rob is a sucker for those goofy seabird synthesiser noises on Ian Dury's Wake Up And Make Love To Me.
Looking for direct influences is hardly the point, but, for what it's worth, you may hear nods towards Crosby Stills Nash & Young (G Song has its root in Ohio). The Who, Can and even Django Reinhardt. The opening title track pulls off six terrific power pop flourishes, one of which recalls Cheap Trick. But as the song is yanked away by an astonishing edit, there's no time to think and we're straight into the turbulent first single, Richard III. Even on the slow songs, three unexpected chords can bounce you from England to America and back. Does it lack an Alright? Yes, but it isn't missed.
While so many bands are making albums to flummox their fans, or to confront their public perception, Supergrass have sneaked up on the blind side with a Rubber Soul, an album to be played everyday in any circumstances. Joyfully and infrectiously "on" in all departments, In It For The Money will simply be adored by everyone who hears it.
5/5 Stars
David Cavanagh, Q - May 1997

Follow up comments:
June 1997 - All popular music is here.
July 1997 - How galling they must find the surprise shown at their new-found "maturity".
August 1997 - Fashion spreads, "serious" reviews - the re-invention of Supergrass is complete.