In it for the money

"Marking the point at which the Oxford trio developed from knockabout urchins to true contenders, Supergrass's second album was released in 1997 and kept one foot in the Britpop camp while benefitting from its creators having whiffed the curdle when fame hit two years earlier. For a period, they seemed to be everybody's fourth favourite band, but their songs - sharper than Oasis', never as arch as Blur's - have lasted the distance, with confident flourishes (baroque-pop horns, glammy stomps, wah-wah infiltrations) bolstering their robust core ... The bonus discs corral demos, outtakes and live performances to prove that, in an overcrowded scene, Supergrass truly were in a field of their own".

"Debut LP "I Should Coco" might have cemented Supergrass's image, but it's hard to argue against its follow-up being their finest album. The vibe is moodier, darker, more Led Zeppelin gallop than "Coco"'s whimsical Caravan trip, but the heaviest tracks (...) are still imbued with youthful exuberance. Britpop tropes are of course present - glammy stomps, horns, acoustic ballads - but as a whole it feels more like a punky, overdriven update of Traffic and Jimi's Experience, and quite unique ... Extras: A lovely bunch of bonus discs [including] concert recordings that confirm the early 'Grass as (no exaggeration) one of rock's greatest live outfits".