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Rings Around the World

Rings Around the World
A cartoon drawing of a skull with a gold tooth appears in the middle of the picture. Yellow and orange rays emanate from the skull and several brown and yellow stylised clouds appear above and below it. Two of the upper clouds which appear either side of the skull have bolts of lightning coming from them. The image of the skull, rays and clouds takes up the centre of the picture and is framed by a red, yellow and orange ribbon. The remainder of the image is brown with the words "Super Furry Animals" appearing in yellow above the picture of the skull, rays and clouds and the album title, also in yellow but in a smaller font, appearing below the picture of the skull, rays and clouds.
Studio album by Super Furry Animals
Released 23 July 2001
Recorded April–September 2000
Studio Monnow Valley Studios, Rockfield, Monmouthshire and Bearsville Studios, New York
Genre
Length 52:54
Label Epic
Producer Chris Shaw and Super Furry Animals
Super Furry Animals chronology
Mwng
(2000)		 Rings Around the World
(2001)		 Phantom Power
(2003)
Singles from Rings Around the World
  1. "Juxtapozed with U"
    Released: 9 July 2001
  2. "(Drawing) Rings Around the World"
    Released: 8 October 2001
  3. "It's Not the End of the World?"
    Released: 14 January 2002
Rings Around the World
A cartoon drawing of a skull with a gold tooth appears in the middle of the picture. Yellow and orange rays emanate from the skull and several brown and yellow stylised clouds appear above and below it. Two of the upper clouds which appear either side of the skull have bolts of lightning coming from them. The image of the skull, rays and clouds takes up the centre of the picture and is framed by a red, yellow and orange ribbon. The remainder of the image is brown with the words "Super Furry Animals" appearing in yellow above the picture of the skull, rays and clouds and the album title, also in yellow but in a smaller font, appearing below the picture of the skull, rays and clouds. In the bottom right-hand corner a red and white circular motion picture certification is shown with '15' in the centre.
Video by Super Furry Animals
Released 23 July 2001
Genre Indie rock
Label Epic
Super Furry Animals chronology
Rings Around the World
(2001)		 Phantom Power
(2003)
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source Rating
Metacritic 86/100
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic 4/5 stars
Entertainment Weekly A−
The Guardian 4/5 stars
Los Angeles Times 3.5/4 stars
NME 6/10
Pitchfork Media 8.9/10
Q 3/5 stars
Rolling Stone 4/5 stars
The Rolling Stone Album Guide 5/5 stars
Spin 9/10

Rings Around the World is the fifth studio album and the major label debut by Super Furry Animals. Released on 23 July 2001 by Epic Records in the United Kingdom, it was the first album by any artist to be simultaneously released on both audio CD and DVD. The record reached number 3 in the UK Albums Chart and includes the singles "Juxtapozed with U", "(Drawing) Rings Around the World" and "It's Not the End of the World?".

The album, which singer Gruff Rhys describes as "a very ambitious project", was recorded between April and September 2000 at Monnow Valley Studios in Rockfield, Monmouthshire, Wales and Bearsville Studios, New York with the band acting as co-producers alongside Chris Shaw. The majority of the songs on Rings Around the World were written by Rhys on guitar and piano with keyboardist Cian Ciaran contributing "[A] Touch Sensitive" and "Miniature" as well as collaborating with other members of the band on "Run! Christian, Run!", "Alternate Route to Vulcan Street" and "No Sympathy". Ex-Beatle Paul McCartney and former Velvet Underground member John Cale make cameo appearances on the album.

Musically Rings Around the World is an eclectic record incorporating pop, prog, punk, jungle, electronica, techno and death metal. Rhys has offered several explanations of the album's lyrical content, claiming the record is "about Earth, and the pollution of space" and also that it addresses the human condition. Critics meanwhile have referred to the record as "thematically eccentric" and lacking an "overarching theme". Critical reception was generally positive, with the album being nominated for 2001's Mercury Music Prize and placing at number one in Mojo's "best albums of 2001" feature. Some reviews claimed it to be the best record of the band's career although the NME described it as the band's worst album.


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Wikipedia

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