View source for Slow Life

{{Other uses|Slow life (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox album
| name       = Slow Life
| type       = [[EP]]
| artist     = [[Super Furry Animals]]
| cover      = SFA-Slow-Life.jpg
| alt        =
| released   = 12 April 2004
| recorded   = 2003–2004
| venue      =
| studio     =
| genre      = [[Experimental rock]]
| length     = 17:22
| label      = [[Placid Casual]]
| producer   = [[Mario Caldato Jr.]], Super Furry Animals
| prev_title = [[Phantom Power (Super Furry Animals album)|Phantom Power]]
| prev_year  = 2003
| next_title = [[Phantom Phorce]]
| next_year  = 2004
}}

'''''Slow Life''''' is an [[Extended play|EP]] by the Welsh [[alternative rock]] band [[Super Furry Animals]], released in 2004. The EP was made available as a free download and also saw a limited CD release, bundled with remix album ''[[Phantom Phorce]]''.<ref name=NMEl>{{cite web|title=FURRY VISION!|work=[[NME]]|date=2004-04-01|url=http://www.nme.com/news/super-furry-animals/16462|access-date=2009-03-06}}</ref> Lead track "Slow Life" appeared on the 2003 album ''[[Phantom Power (Super Furry Animals album)|Phantom Power]]'' and was originally composed as a purely electronic song by [[keyboard (instrument)|keyboardist]] [[Cian Ciaran]] several years earlier. The band were keen to finish the track and Ciaran encouraged them to [[Jam session|jam]] over his original version—this jam was then edited and made into the finished song.<ref name=Nude>{{cite web|last=Carpenter|first=Troy|title=Super Furry Animals: Unleashing Their Power|work=Nude as the News|year=2003|url=http://www.nudeasthenews.com/interviews/61|access-date=2009-03-04 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070619020437/http://www.nudeasthenews.com/interviews/61 |archive-date = June 19, 2007}}</ref> The track "Motherfokker" is a collaboration between the Super Furry Animals and [[Rapping|rap]] group [[Goldie Lookin Chain]].

The EP received mixed reviews although "Slow Life" itself was singled out for praise by many critics. A [[music video]] was made to accompany the track directed by Dylan Jones and Paps O'Maoileoain.<ref name=dvdnotes>{{cite AV media notes |title=Songbook: The Singles, Vol. 1|title-link=Songbook: The Singles, Vol. 1#DVD|others=[[Super Furry Animals]]|year=2004|at=back cover |type=DVD|publisher=[[Epic Records]]|location=[[New York City|New York]]}}</ref><ref name=IMBD>{{cite web|title=Super Furry Animals|work=[[Internet Movie Database]]|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2083150/|access-date=2009-03-04}}</ref> The Super Furries appeared in the 2004 film ''[[9 Songs]]'' playing "Slow Life" live during a scene in which one of the characters attends a gig by the band at the [[Brixton Academy]].

==Recording and themes==

"Slow Life" was written in two stages. According to [[bass guitar|bassist]] [[Guto Pryce]] the "electronic part" was composed by [[keyboard (instrument)|keyboard player]] [[Cian Ciaran]] "quite a few years" before its eventual release. The band had tried to fit this early, purely electronic, version on previous albums but had "never got 'round to it". By the time the group came to record ''[[Phantom Power (Super Furry Animals album)|Phantom Power]]'' they were anxious to release the song, however Ciaran was reluctant to leave it in its original form and encouraged the rest of the band to [[Jam session|jam]] over his original track. According to singer [[Gruff Rhys]] the instrumentation was recorded "pretty much live" after which lyrics were written and the band's 10-minute jam session was "chopped ... up and made into a composed song" with the electronic section intact. [[String section|Strings]] were later added by [[Sean O'Hagan]].<ref name=Nude /> Rhys has stated that renting their own studio in Cardiff has given the band the ability to work on tracks such as "Slow Life" over a period of years—the group visit the studio almost every day and play: "the best parts on any of our records, I think, come out of a couple of us being in our little room in Cardiff at three in the morning, just wigging out and being ecstatic in the music."<ref name=Dallas>{{cite web|last=Singer|first=Maya|title=Power Plants|work=[[Dallas Observer]]|date=2003-09-18|url=http://www.dallasobserver.com/2003-09-18/music/power-plants/1|access-date=2009-03-05}}</ref>

According to [[guitar]]ist [[Huw Bunford]] the track had the working title "Miami Vice" as it featured a drum roll similar to one used in the theme tune to the [[Miami Vice|80's television show of the same name]]. The band decided not to keep this name as they were keen to avoid links with a particular place—Bunford gave the example of the song's use on a travel documentary about [[Miami]] as something the group did not want to see.<ref name=BBCWales1>{{cite web|title=Super Furry Animals interview (2003)|work=[[BBC Wales]]|year=2003|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/music/sites/genres_artists/rock_pop/sfa_interview_2003.shtml|access-date=2009-03-04}} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> Some [[Promotional recording|promotional copies]] of ''Phantom Power'' featured "Slow Life" as the first track although it eventually appeared as the last track on the officially released version of the album. Gruff Rhys has stated that the song had to go at either the beginning or the end of the record as it is the "most sonically impressive" track on the album.<ref name=Nude /> Rhys has described his lyrics as "regurgitating what we hear on the news, recycled, vomiting them all back".<ref name=IndieLondon>{{cite web|last=Foley|first=Jack|title=Phantom Power track by track |work=IndieLondon|date=c. 2003|url=http://www.indielondon.co.uk/music/mu_superfurry_phantomtrackbytrack.html|access-date=2009-03-04}}</ref> ''[[The Guardian]]'' has interpreted the song as a "cutting critique of middle-east colonialism".<ref name=Guardian>{{cite web|last=Bolton|first=Matt|title=Political music isn't dead, it's just different|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=2008-03-20|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2008/mar/20/politicalmusicisntdeadits|access-date=2009-03-04}}</ref>

[[Image:GoldieLookinChainAndSuperFurryAnimals.jpg|150px|right|thumb|[[Super Furry Animals]] and [[Goldie Lookin Chain]] performing "Motherfokker" together at the [[V Festival]], 2005.]]

The track "Motherfokker" is a collaboration between the Super Furry Animals and Welsh [[Rapping|rap]]pers [[Goldie Lookin Chain]] with chorus vocals provided by Cian Ciaran.<ref name=BBCWales2>{{cite web|title=Super Furry Animals - Cian |work=[[BBC Wales]]|date=c. 2009|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/music/sites/genres_artists/rock_pop/sfa_cian.shtml|access-date=2009-03-04}}</ref> The two toured together in 2004 and Gruff Rhys has praised the group, stating that "their range of references are insane. They're extremely bright. They're crazy."<ref name=Independent>{{cite web|last=Price|first=Simon|title=Goldie Lookin' Chain, Bierkeller, Bristol ...|work=[[The Independent]]|date=2004-04-11|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/goldie-lookin-chain-bierkeller-bristol-vincent-gallo-royal-festival-hall-london-the-departure-333-club-london-559734.html|access-date=2009-03-06}}</ref><ref name=UnderTheRadar>{{cite web|last=Redfern|first=Mark|title=Gruff Rhys of the Super Furry Animals on Goldie Lookin Chain|work=[[Under the Radar (magazine)|Under the Radar]]|year=2005|url=http://www.undertheradarmag.com/goldielookinchain.html|access-date=2009-03-04 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070818002519/http://undertheradarmag.com/goldielookinchain.html |archive-date = August 18, 2007}}</ref> Rhys has explained that the song is about "an incredibly large aircraft from outer space. [Goldie Lookin Chain] are the aliens and it's about the people of Earth coming together as one".<ref name=Xfm>{{cite web|last=Ford|first=Jon|title=X-clusive: SFA Confirm Summer Festival Dates|work=[[Xfm]]|date=2004-04-08|url=http://www.xfm.co.uk/article.asp?id=22568|access-date=2009-03-04}}</ref> The two groups have performed the track together several times at Super Furry Animals' concerts including the 2004 [[Reading and Leeds Festivals|Reading Festival]] and a date at the [[Brixton Academy]] on 22 September 2005.<ref name=NME2>{{cite web|url=http://www.nme.com/news/109677.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040828064517/http://www.nme.com/news/109677.htm|title=MOTHERFOKKIN' SAFE!|website=[[NME]] |date=2004-08-27|archive-date=2004-08-28 |access-date=2009-03-06 }}</ref><ref name=NME3>{{cite web|title=Super Furry Animals and Goldie Lookin Chain team up in London|work=[[NME]]|date=2005-09-23|url=http://www.nme.com/news/super-furry-animals/21070|access-date=2009-03-04}}</ref>

==Release and reception==
{{Album ratings
| rev1      = CokeMachineGlow
| rev1Score = (59%)<ref>[http://www.cokemachineglow.com/record_review/2161/super-furry-animals Coke Machine Glow Review] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720033957/http://www.cokemachineglow.com/record_review/2161/super-furry-animals |date=2008-07-20 }}</ref>
| rev2      = Music Emissions
| rev2Score = (favourable) <ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.musicemissions.com/artists/albums/index.php?album_id=3189 |title=Music Emissions review |access-date=2009-03-06 |archive-date=2007-02-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070208110505/http://www.musicemissions.com/artists/albums/index.php?album_id=3189 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| rev3      = [[PopMatters]]
| rev3Score = (mixed)<ref>[http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/superfurryanimals-phantomphorce Popmatters review]</ref>
| rev4      = [[Tiny Mix Tapes]]
| rev4Score = {{Rating|4|5}} <ref>[http://www.tinymixtapes.com/Super-Furry-Animals,971 Tiny Mix Tapes review]</ref>
}}
The E.P. was released as a free download from the [[Placid Casual]] website on 12 April 2004.<ref name=NMEl /> Along with the three tracks that make up the E.P. the [[music video|promotional music video]] for "Slow Life" was also available to download in [[QuickTime File Format|QuickTime]] and [[Windows Media Video]] formats.<ref name=PlacidCasual>{{cite web|title=Slow Life EP|work=[[Placid Casual]] download page for Slow Life EP|date=2004-04-12|url=http://www.placidcasual.com/slowlife/slowlifeeng.htm|access-date=2009-03-06 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080629203102/http://placidcasual.com/slowlife/slowlifeeng.htm |archive-date = June 29, 2008}}</ref> Limited quantities of the E.P. were also issued on CD, bundled with initial copies of remix album ''[[Phantom Phorce]]'' on its release on 19 April 2004.<ref name=NMEl /> The CD version was housed in a [[floppy disk]] style picture sleeve.<ref name=MusicEmissions>{{cite web|last=Rutherford|first=Brian|title=Super Furry Animals - Phantom Phorce|work=Music Emissions|date=2004-12-10|url=http://www.musicemissions.com/artists/albums/index.php?album_id=3189|access-date=2009-03-06|archive-date=2007-02-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070208110505/http://www.musicemissions.com/artists/albums/index.php?album_id=3189|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Critical reaction was generally mixed with Cokemachineglow calling the EP "forgettable", stating that, while "Slow Life" "slides perfectly off ''[[Phantom Power (Super Furry Animals album)|Phantom Power]]''", the other two tracks are weak: "Motherfokker" is a vulgar "[[Pez]] candy up the nose" with "shoddy guest rapping" from [[Goldie Lookin Chain]] and "Lost Control" is barely more than a remix of ''Phantom Power'' track "Out of Control". [[PopMatters]] also dismissed "Motherfokker" and "Lost Control" as inessential [[A-side and B-side|b-sides]] and, during their review of 2007's ''[[Hey Venus!]]'', the ''[[NME]]'' suggested that "Motherfokker" is "best-suppressed".<ref name=NME4>{{cite web|title=Hey Venus!|work=[[NME]]|date=2007-08-29|url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/8911|access-date=2009-03-04}}</ref>

"Slow Life" itself received generally positive reviews; [[Pitchfork Media]] called it a "stunning closer" to ''Phantom Power'',<ref name=Pitchfork>{{cite web |last=DiCrescenzo |first=Brent |title=Super Furry Animals: Phantom Power |work=[[Pitchfork Media]] |date=2003-07-25 |url=http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/22144/Super_Furry_Animals_Phantom_Power |access-date=2008-03-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080324004003/http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/22144/Super_Furry_Animals_Phantom_Power |archive-date=2008-03-24 }}</ref> while PopMatters described the song as "the kind of schizophrenic fun we've come to expect from the band but ... less showy and eager to please, as they control themselves enough to make the jarring, contradicting styles much easier to digest".<ref name=PopMatters2>{{cite web|last=Begrand|first=Adrien|title=Super Furry Animals Phantom Power|work=[[PopMatters]]|date=2003-08-06|url=http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/s/superfurryanimals-phantom.shtml|access-date=2009-03-05}}</ref> [[Stylus Magazine]] stated that the "great" track "achieves symbiosis between [[techno]] and guitar-pop better than anything else they've done before".<ref name=Stylus>{{cite web|last=Southall |first=Nick |title=Super Furry Animals Phantom Power |work=[[Stylus Magazine]] |date=2003-09-01 |url=http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/super-furry-animals/phantom-power1.htm |access-date=2008-03-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091002095655/http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/super-furry-animals/phantom-power1.htm |archive-date=2009-10-02 }}</ref> The [[BBC]] agreed calling "Slow Life" the band's "most successful mindrattling techno attempt so far".<ref name=BBC>{{cite web|last=McGregor|first=Andrew|title=Super Furry Animals Phantom Power|work=[[BBC]]|date=2003-07-18|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/f925/|access-date=2008-03-05}}</ref> The song was placed at number 46 in the 2003 [[Festive Fifty]] on [[John Peel]]'s [[BBC Radio 1]] show.<ref name=BBC2>{{cite web|title=Festive 50s: 2003|work=[[BBC]]|date=October 2005|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/festive50s/2000s/2003/|access-date=20 November 2010}}</ref>

==Use of "Slow Life" in ''9 Songs''==

"Slow Life" is central to the 2004 [[Michael Winterbottom]] film ''[[9 Songs]]'', being one of the nine songs mentioned in the title.<ref name=IMBD /> The movie charts the relationship of main characters Matt and Lisa from their initial meeting to the pair splitting up. Footage of the two attending a series of nine concerts at [[Brixton Academy]], where they initially meet, is interspersed with scenes of the actors performing unsimulated sex.<ref name=TotalFilm>{{cite web|title=9 Songs (18)|work=[[Total Film]]|url=http://www.totalfilm.com/reviews/cinema/9-songs|access-date=2009-03-06}}</ref> Matt and Lisa are already growing apart when Matt attends a Super Furry Animals concert at the Academy alone. Giving Lisa's ticket away as she "didn't want to go" the character comments: "5000 people in a room and you can still feel alone". The scene appears roughly forty minutes into the film and shows the band performing "Slow Life" live in its entirety as Matt looks on.

==Music video==

[[Image:Slow-Life-SFA-Screenshot.jpg|thumb|200px|Gruff Rhys in the [[music video|promotional video]] for "Slow Life".]]

A promotional [[music video]] was made to accompany "Slow Life" directed by Dylan Jones and Paps O'Maoileoain.<ref name=dvdnotes /> The video features psychedelic, [[Fluorescence|fluorescent]] images of the band's faces in close up as they play and sing along with the track. [[Strobe lighting|Strobing]] and [[fractal]] images appear at several points throughout the video. As with the other tracks taken from ''[[Phantom Power (Super Furry Animals album)|Phantom Power]]'', "[[Golden Retriever (song)|Golden Retriever]]" and "[[Hello Sunshine (Super Furry Animals song)|Hello Sunshine]]", the video for "Slow Life" does not appear on the ''Phantom Power'' DVD release but is included on the DVD version of greatest hits album ''[[Songbook: The Singles, Vol. 1]]''.

==Track listing==

All songs by Super Furry Animals unless otherwise stated.

# "Slow Life" – 6:59
# "Motherfokker" (Super Furry Animals/[[Goldie Lookin Chain]]) – 5:42
# "Lost Control" – 4:41

==Credits==
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}
*[[Gruff Rhys]] – vocals
*[[Huw Bunford]] – [[guitar]], backing vocals
*[[Guto Pryce]] – [[bass guitar]]
*[[Cian Ciaran]] – [[musical keyboard|keyboards]], backing vocals, chorus vocals on "Motherfokker"
*[[Dafydd Ieuan]] – [[drum kit|drums]], backing vocals
*Kris Jenkins – [[percussion instrument|percussion]] on "Slow Life"
*Marcus Holdway – [[cello]] on "Slow Life"
*Sally Herbert – [[violin]] on "Slow Life"
*Brian G. Wright – violin on "Slow Life"
*Gill Morley – violin on "Slow Life"
*Ellen Blair – violin on "Slow Life"
{{col-2}}
*[[Pete Fowler]] – [[Kaoss Pad|Kaoss flanges]] on "Slow Life"
*Neil McFarland – Kaoss flanges on "Slow Life"
*2Hats – [[Rapping|rap]] on "Motherfokker"
*[[Maggot (rapper)|Maggot]] – rap on "Motherfokker"
*Billy Webb – rap on "Motherfokker"
*Eggsy – rap on "Motherfokker"
*Mystikal – rap on "Motherfokker"
*Mike Balls – rap on "Motherfokker"
*Adam Hussain – rap on "Motherfokker"
*Dwain Xain Zedong – rap on "Motherfokker"
{{col-end}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.placidcasual.com/slowlife/slowlifeeng.htm Free download] at [[Placid Casual]].
* {{MusicBrainz release|mbid=9e5887cd-9fcb-4d07-9911-099cf7fd455f|name=Slow Life}}

{{Super Furry Animals}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Good article}}

[[Category:2004 EPs]]
[[Category:Super Furry Animals albums]]