Originally published by L.S. Media. May 23rd 2012.

L.S. Media Rating ****

The name may say Gaz Coombes on the front of the album sleeve for Here Comes The Bombs, but it feels a long way from the days when his group Supergrass were one of the darlings of the Brit Pop phenomenon and they he and the band were a highlight of many a festival bill.

This is a much darker side to the one time Supergrass front man and it is very much welcome addition to the albums that have come out in the first few months of 2012. The songs have a much meaner and distinctive edge to them which takes Gaz Coombes away from having his lyrics sang back to him from 10,000 people in a field in November.  Here Comes The Bombs relies not on catchy lyrics and a polished, almost sycophantic approach to music; rather, it adds to the element of experimentation that is a much needed and welcome distraction from some of the music that gets the fashionable nod and sneering and almost vitriolic approach by certain music magazines when it goes against their own driven agenda.

There is room for experimentation, especially when it is on a debut album. What else are they for? They are they to prove people wrong and to tear up the expected rule book of what an artist can and cannot do, especially if the artist has been in long term band institution.

Here Comes The Bombs shows Gaz Coombes is still a big draw for people to listen to, it just won’t be what you expect it to be.  With tracks as Sub Divider, Simulator, White Noise and the fantastic Whore being incredible highlights on the album. It’s a shame to draw comparisons with any of the previous work by the man, invariably though people will, whether critics or just fans, the difference between the two era’s will be scrutinised and poured over.

Suffice to say that the music on this particular album should see Gaz Coombes rightly re-instated as one of the best auto-biographical song writers of his generation. This is captured and framed perfectly on the song White Noise, as the refrain comes across of a man deeply troubled by his own personal problems alludes wonderfully to.

A cracking debut album by the former darling of the 90’s music revolution! A much needed musical boost and a hope for the next album, whenever that should be.

Ian D. Hall