Artist: Super Furry Animals

Album: “Hey Venus!”

Release date: Aug. 28

Label: Rough Trade

Availability: Digital download only

The eighth studio album by Welsh band Super Furry Animals, “Hey Venus!” is almost a 180-degree turn from 2005’s grandiose “Love Kraft.”

From the nauseatingly gaudy album art to the short running time of barely over 35 minutes, many aspects of the album seem odd for the band at this point in its career. But the Super Furry Animals traditionally have been nothing if not odd, and singer Gruff Rhys and the boys seem altogether confident and self-aware.

The album starts off with “The Gateway Song,” and more postmodern lyrics could not be found anywhere: “This song is ‘The Gateway Song’/It brings us on nicely to the harder stuff/And once you get hooked you can’t get enough.” After a scant 45 seconds, “Run-Away” begins with an appropriately hard beat and some of the catchiest hooks on the album. “This song is based on a true story,” Rhys says at the beginning of the song, “which would be fine, if it wasn’t also autobiographical.” You see what he means by the self-depreciating bridge: “Those who cry and run away/Live to cry another day.”

The album is given room to breathe with slow tracks such as “The Gift That Keeps on Giving” and “Carbon Dating,” which showcase the band’s talent for beautiful ballads. However, the triple threat of “Neo Consumer,” “Into the Night” and “Baby Ate My Eightball” serve as the centerpiece, offering psychedelic pop so infectious it could arise Brian Wilson out of bed.

In the end, “Hey Venus!” may arguably be the least essential addition to the Super Furry Animal’s catalogue, but that’s only because it aspires to be less. Taken on its own, “Hey Venus!” is a fine listen.

– Thomas Grundmeier,

Daily Staff Writer

Artist: Just Surrender

Album: “We’re In Like Sin”

Release date: Aug. 21

Label: Broken English

Availability: CD, iTunes, Ruckus

The four-piece band Just Surrender catches one’s attention in ways both good and bad. Their new album, “We’re In Like Sin,” opens with heavy guitars and a foot-tapping tempo, but peters out as the album goes on. With each new track, I got the feeling that I was listening to a different band due to the drastic style change varying from song to song.

There is a little Panic! At the Disco along with some Thrice-sounding material. There is even a little bit of a Fall Out Boy-ish type with their habit of unnecessary, supposed-to-be-funny song titles such as “If I Wanted To Cuddle I’d Buy a Teddy Bear” and “You’d Be in Great Shape If You Ran Like Your Mouth.”

If you’ve got the money, “We’re In Like Sin” is worth the cost, and if not, don’t sweat it. If you’d like to check them out live and see how they perform on the stage, their current tour lands them at Maintenance Shop on Sept. 20.

– Kyle Solberg, Daily Staff Writer

Artist: Blaqk Audio

Album: “CexCells”

Release: Aug. 14

Label: Interscope

Availability: CD, iTunes

On “CexCells,” AFI members Davey Havok and Jade Puget go all electronic, creating what is essentially an artifact from the past – a synthetic pop record.

Driven by piano-underscored synths, the album sounds much like pre-“Violator” Depeche Mode.

The band comfortably settles into the same moody, artificial sound so many aficionados are familiar with on opener “Stiff Kittens,” but it doesn’t really do anything with it.

The tracks mostly sound alike, and don’t break any real ground over the original recordings they emulate.

While the instruments and melodies evoke fond memories of the heyday of synth pop, Havok’s vocals are, to a non-AFI fan, rather annoying – Depeche Mode vocalist David Gahan’s voice lends itself to the instrumentation far better.

In subject matter, the album can’t tear itself from the subject of love – which might work if earlier, better synth pop acts hadn’t branched out.

It may seem that I’m making far too many allusions to Depeche Mode.

However it can’t be helped – the record sounds like a series of covers.

Someone unfamiliar with synth pop may find something to enjoy here, but devotees will find only nostalgia with annoying vocals.

– Bill Cleary, Daily Staff Writer