Supernaut

Supernaut is the latest vehicle for former Blue In Heaven/Blue Angels frontman Shane O’Neill and Into Paradise mainman Dave Long. In many ways, their debut album is like a homage to the almighty guitar, which shapechanges throughout from a shimmer to a swagger, a sparkle to a snarl.

Meanwhile the bass rumbles along consistently, the drums by turns pound and coerce the melody into submission and the vocals float dreamily somewhere in the ether. In fact the words are just another ingredient in the melting pot of sounds that makes up a Supernaut song. You can trace their lineage from Sonic Youth, through Spacemen 3 and even My Bloody Valentine, yet they remain undoubtedly their own men.

‘Sun Just Shines’ is a standout, the wall of guitar counterbalanced by a large dollop of melancholy melody and dual vocals. Then there’s the insistent jubilation of ‘Feel So Real’ and the lighter, almost wistful ‘Merry Go Round’.

‘So Glad’ hints at Sonic Youth’s more militant melodies: this rougher diamond may be a little too cacophonic for some tastes. ‘Give Me More’, in contrast, is so fragile it can be compared to the late, much lamented In Motion at their best, while ‘If She Stays’ is pure pop music, albeit submerged in a well of distortion.

Supernaut is a welcome return for Messrs Long and O’Neill and their jungle-jangle of guitars. Long may they shine.