Fuzzy Logic

Fuzzy Logic
Studio album by Super Furry Animals
Released	May 22, 1996
Recorded	1996
Genre	Alternative rock, britpop, psychedelic rock
Length	43:47
Label	Creation
Producer	Gorwel Owen, Super Furry Animals
Professional reviews
Allmusic [1] Pitchfork Media (8.4/10)[2] Rolling Stone [3] Vox (9/10)[4]
Super Furry Animals chronology
Moog Droog (1995) Fuzzy Logic (1996) Radiator (1997) Singles from Fuzzy Logic "Hometown Unicorn" Released: 26 February, 1996 "God! Show Me Magic" Released: 29 April, 1996 "Something 4 the Weekend" Released: 1 July, 1996 "If You Don't Want Me to Destroy You" Released: 30 September, 1996

Fuzzy Logic is the debut album by the Super Furry Animals. It was listed in Q Magazine's Best British Albums Ever in July 2004, and in the same magazine's Top 10 Britpop Albums Ever in December 1996 and features in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die^[5]. It contains two top 20 hits in "If You Don't Want Me to Destroy You" and "Something 4 the Weekend"; it also contains the singles "God! Show Me Magic" and "Hometown Unicorn". It reached #23 in the UK Albums Chart on release.^[6]

The name comes from a mathematical term which describes terms that are easily understood by humans but are not so easily understood by computers.

Recording

In a 2008 interview with Uncut Gruff Rhys described the process of making the album:

Although the album was conceived as a reaction to Britpop which the band felt represented a "conservative backwards movement in music" they soon realised that they were in an "old 70's studio making [a] 70's rock album".^[7] Former members Rhys Ifans and Dic Ben contributed to the track "Long Gone" by leaving an answerphone message which plays as the song comes to a close.^[8]

Cover

Fuzzy Logic is often noted for its cover depicting a variety of photos of international drug smuggler Howard Marks. Marks, who is paid tribute to on the song "Hangin' with Howard Marks", visited Rockfield during the making of the album at the band's request "wearing leather trousers and a cloak with a big entourage".^[7] As a result, the band later struck up a friendship with Marks, and are referenced in his autobiography Mr Nice.

In 2005, the album was reissued with a second bonus disc containing additional tracks recorded around the same time period as the album.

Track listing

All songs by Super Furry Animals.

1. "God! Show Me Magic" – 1:50
2. "Fuzzy Birds" – 2:27
3. "Something for the Weekend" – 2:50
4. "Frisbee" – 2:21
5. "Hometown Unicorn" – 3:33
6. "Gathering Moss" – 3:22
7. "If You Don't Want Me to Destroy You" – 3:17
8. "Bad Behaviour" – 4:26
9. "Mario Man" – 4:07
10. "Hangin' with Howard Marks" – 4:20
11. "Long Gone" – 5:20
12. "For Now and Ever" – 3:32

Reissue Bonus CD

1. "Organ yn Dy Geg" – 2:56
2. "Crys Ti" – 1:56
3. "Lazy Life (Of No Fixed Identity)" – 2:15
4. "Death by Melody" – 2:32
5. "Waiting to Happen" – 2:34

Personnel

Super Furry Animals

• Gruff Rhys – vocals, guitars, analogues, claps
• Dafydd Ieuan – drums, percussion, vocals, piano, claps
• Cian Ciaran – keyboards, analogues, vocals, claps
• Guto Pryce – Bass, hammond, claps, analogues
• Huw Bunford – guitars, vocals, e-bow, cello, claps

Additional musicians

• Gorwel Owen – piano, hammond, rhodes
• Jez Francis – piano on "God! Show Me Magic"
• Matthew Everett – violin
• Chris Williams – violin
• Helen Sparro – viola
• Catherine Tanner – cello
• Martin Smith – trumpet, tenor horn
• Simon James – saxophone, flute
• Andrew Frizell – saxophone, recorder, trombone
• Lindsay Higgs – balalaika
• Rhys Ifans & Dic Ben – answering machine message on "Long Gone"

Technical personnel

• SFA – songs, production
• Gorwel Owen – production
• Andy Wilkinson – engineering
• Nick Brine – assistance
• Brian Cannon @ Microdot – design, art direction
• Toby Egelnick – inside design, layout

References