EP Review – Y FFUG – Cofiwch Dryweryn (RASP CD58J)
(review gan rhys mwyn)
Y Ffug are ‘that’ band that messed about with the Tryweryn image. For that fact alone they are one of the most interesting bands to emerge on the Welsh scene recently. Secondly – they look good and the singer wears a Joy Division t-Shirt and has just shaved off all his hair. A band with shite haircuts can never be a good band (unless you are Mark E Smith).The inner sleeve to this EP is pure Pennie Smith. Love it.
Track 1. ‘O Fewn Fy Hunan’. This is a very riff based track, ever so slightly reminding you of that Post-Punk 1979 era. The guitars do sound very good. Surprisingly for a Welsh language band the singer actually puts some passion into it.
Track 2 ‘Nos Sadwrn’. Starts with bass, then drums and a lighter guitar touch. Sounds a bit like the Cure at times but not really like the Cure either – what I’m saying is that this track has a vibe, almost like ‘A Forest’ but a lot more up-beat than that.
Later on the punky guitars kick in. Again the voice is there up front in the mix. They know they can get away with it. In fact this guy is the anti-Christ to the nice singers like Al Lewis – and that can only be a good thing.
Track 3 ‘Arnofio’. This is punky-funky – bad idea ? It leaves the vocals without a melody. Ummmm, this could be left off this EP and I doubt it would be missed. This track does not improve.
Track 4. ‘Llosgwch y Ty i Lawr’. The intro to this track is pure salvation. Why, if they can write a song this good do they bother with the previous track ? Somebody needs to be in the producer’s seat. This is a ‘good-un’, great little bass line. Riff based yes, but this is a potential single.
Track 5 ‘Cariad a Thrais’. Sorry lads, another track that should have been edited out. This goes nowhere. Too slow. Too weak. It’s a Gruff Rhys attempt without the weird shit that Gruff does.
Track 6 ‘Cariad Dosbarth Canol Cymru’ . Lyrically this is more akin to Datblygu and David R Edwards. Good message for sure but needs more of a Datblygu edge in the verse. The chorus lifts a bit but things get a bit confusing musically from now on. Actually it just needs ‘fucking up’ as a track.
I do really like this band, I definitely like the idea of this band. They are young and exciting and this is the sound of a young band learning their craft. The music and production just needs to be about 20 times more fucked up. For being cool they get 8/10. For production it’s a tough love 5/10. This is the sort of band that should be in the studio with John Robb – give them the Membranes / Goldblade treatment meets Peter Hook’s Suite 16 Studio – send them to Rochdale – get them out of Crymych or wherever.
