A Musical Gem

The word that springs immediately to mind when Supergrass are mentioned is longevity.

With the obvious exception of Oasis, no other band from the 90s Britpop revolution has survived the various musical fads of the past 15 years - even at a time such as now, when the British public are more sympathetic to home grown guitar music than they ever have been, the likes of Shed Seven and Kula Shaker have attempted one last cash in, to varying but ultimately limited success.

But Supergrass have ridden every storm with nonchalant aplomb. Never have they been as commercially successful as they were in the late 1990s; but they’ve released a series of really very good albums, and sold out every venue they’ve visited in the process. They are undoubtedly the unsung heroes of the Britpop era.

With Diamond Hoo Ha, they revisit the raucous rock of In It For The Money, but strip it down in places to an even dirtier, darker level. And as with all their previous albums, they throw in a delightful grasp of melody and an incredible eye for a killer hook, such that if you shut your eyes, you can almost feel a festival crowd bouncing to Gaz Coombes' every word.

At times Supergrass display the raw energy and vitality of the White Stripes, as on single Diamond Hoo Ha Man and stand out track Rebel In You. They write great pop rock songs too though, like When I Needed You and Ghost of a Friend. On the face of things, their thrashier side is perhaps the more enjoyable - they are capable of a hell of a noise, and are so tight a unit that the resultant sound is at times gargantuan. But their versatility is refreshing, and is the not so secret ingredient that has maintained Supergrass’s status as a relevant British rock band for 15 years.

Yet another sell out UK tour follows next month, and no doubt a string of festival appearances for one of the hardest working bands around. Well done them for carrying the Britpop torch into infinity.