Gruff Rhys – “Set Fire To The Stars”
Gruff Rhys is best known as the frontman of the Welsh psych-rock band Super Furry Animals, but this time of year I tend to remember him as the songwriter behind some of the most disturbing Christmas songs ever written. Rhys has been performing solo for quite awhile, and back in 2011 he released the Atheist XMAS EP, a collection of delightfully morbid Christmas songs — “Slashed Wrists This Christmas” is a personal favorite. This time around, Rhys is moving in a less seasonal direction, though his new track “Set Fire To The Stars” embodies some of the same darkness. The track will be featured in the forthcoming biopic Set Fire To The Stars about the life and work of the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, starring Elijah Wood. The title of the film and the track is lifted from Thomas’ poem “Love In The Asylum.” Rhys also wrote the movie’s jazzy score and recorded it with a band including Portishead collaborator Jim Barr. In other Rhys news, he’s currently on tour with ex-Flaming Lips drummer Kliph Scurlock in support of this year’s American Interior. Listen below.