Hotel Shampoo

2011 release, the third album from the Welsh singer/songwriter and frontman for Super Furry Animals. Hotel Shampoo is inspired by, and takes it's title from, Gruff's extensive collection of mini shampoo bottles and complimentary hotel products acquired whilst touring the world. Having never kept a journal these items have become like diary entries, triggering memories of all those buildings and random people I've met and inspiring songs on the album. Hotel Shampoo's reception desk and opener 'Shark Ridden Waters' is a slice of kaleidoscopic, cinematic Pop music produced by Andy Votel. A dozen equally sumptuous songs follow with Gruff's highly original, clich-free lyrics ranging over a wide spectrum of topics. In addition to vocals, Gruff has played much of the instrumentation himself with the album mostly recorded in north Wales before being mixed in L.A.