Supergrass Diamond Hoo Ha by: Justin Pearsall Tue:08-Apr-08 Label: Parlophone Year: 2008 WB rating 71 out of 100

In an interview with Pete Paphides from the Times Online podcast, Supergrass described Road to Rouen as the antithesis of the then-recently released best-of Supergrass is 10. Fair enough call too, as the band’s best-of did what all compilations do: cram single-after-single together, an authorised mix tape to tap into the casual fan market. With this single selling mentality catered for, the band were free to craft Road to Rouen, an album that would consciously avoid their hit-making past, stretching the group dramatically.

Texture and mood ensued, and had it not been for a few lazier end of album tracks that sabotaged its atmosphere the album could have dominated end of year polls. Instead Road to Rouen is that curious kind of record that goes beyond toe-dipping into artistic ambition, but never gets past the ball-line point of no return.

With this record in their immediate past and a bevy of likeable rock releases in their discography Diamond Hoo Ha would seemingly do one of two things: revert back to the rosy-faced rock that typified their earlier output or continue on the higher road that Road to Rouen suggested possible. Sadly, the band has clearly taken the first option.

The album title really gave this away before there was much question of how the decision had panned out, but it’s unwise to be too critical of the Diamond Hoo Ha moniker considering that it perfectly encapsulates the dumb-ass, seemingly about absolutely nothing (and we aren’t talking about nothing in the sense that Seinfeld was about nothing) ambitions of the record. From The White Stripes-esque lead single ‘Diamond Hoo Ha Man’ to the frenetic space rock of ‘345’ and the swagger of ‘Bad Blood’ the album thuds along without a care in the world.

When the record decides to change pace and dynamic the output is still heavily hook centred. And while it is true that ‘The Return of…’ is a departure from Supergrass’ earlier sound, it also mimics The Strokes, right down to Gaz Coombs’ vocal enunciations. Similarly, when digging for more depth the band revisit themselves, the affective ‘When I Needed You’ a displaced B-side to the piano lilt of Road to Rouen’s ‘Tales of Endurance’.

All this said, Diamond Hoo Ha is, like all Supergrass efforts, not without charm. The band has a great musical chemistry and Gaz Coombes is a first class vocalist. The production of the record is excellent, the guitars flail and fuzz and the moments of space rock reach epic proportions – of particular note is the saxophone freak out in ‘Whisky and Green Tea’.

Still, Diamond Hoo Ha is an unspectacular lateral movement. While Supergrass are still one of the better modern day proponents of rock and roll, their strengths remain instant fix hooks and shit-eating grins. Sheer talent ensures that this is enough to fashion a better than average release, but for the band’s artistic legacy it seems a rather dour burial.