Supergrass - Supergrass • CDs • Vinyl Records • LPs • Music Albums

In It for the Money. The delayed U.S. release of last year's Supergrass finds the trio attempting a shotgun synthesis of those earlier efforts. The lil' dumb hook of the self-descriptive rocker "Pumping on Your Stereo" lodges in your ear within seconds, but elsewhere, Supergrass' middle-ground methodology produces pleasant power pop that's rarely quite powerful or pop-y enough. A rainbow of retro arrangements -- organ-led psychedelia on "Mary," symphonic prog rock on "Born Again" -- can't compensate for middling emotions, muted performances and songwriting that's merely good when it should be gorgeous, gorilla-size or at least goofy. (RS 839)

BARRY WALTERS

Not to sound like indie snobs, but the songs off Supergrass' first LP are still the best. Even so, every track on this retrospective is power-trio, guitar-pop perfection, from the quirky ditties to the Pete Ham-inspired epics. (Anyway, if we really wanted to come off as snobs, we'd dismiss it all for when they were shoegazing in the band the Jennifers.)