Stereophonics - Language. Sex. Violence. Other?

Kelly Jones - vocals, guitar, keyboards, main lyricist
Richard Jones - bass guitar, vocals
Javier Weyler - drums, percussion
Adam Zindani - guitar, vocals

The Stereophonics after a quiet year are back with a new manager, album, look and a return to their old style of music. The new album as a whole is more upbeat than the previous two which saw the likes of Mr. Writer and Maybe Tomorrow. They recently scored their first ever number 1 in the UK singles and downloads chart with Dakota, a song from their new album.

Kelly Jones (Vocals/Lead Guitar) sacked drummer and lifetime Stuart Cable over commitment issues last year. The band appointed Argentinean drummer Javier Weyler as the new drummer before Christmas.

Superman starts off with some sounds of a radio being tuned before breaking into riff, the tune has got a good tune and is the longest on the album at over 5 minutes long, good song and lyrics. It is thought to be the second single from the album.

"Superman on an aeroplane 
Sitting next to Lois lane. 
You got that woman but you want her gone 
So you can sleep with a teenage blonde"

Doorman quickly breaks in from the last song with the words “Doorman you got an attitude”. The whole song is about Kelly ‘dissing’ a doorman who refused him access to a night club in New York. This sees a change from the last to albums where journalists have been slated in songs by the band. A very good tune with a few solo riffs.

“You'd like to throw me out on the street 
It ain't my fault you can't read 
You look like a monkey scowling at me 
Well suck my banana, suck it with cream”

Brother is a good song which grows on you quickly, a slight alteration on Kelly’s voice in the verses. The chorus is pretty good.

"Like a cannon ball killing me 
You got it wrong brother, can't you see, can you see?"

Devil starts of quietly with a little bit of the piano, the song builds up to the chorus and the beginning appears to be between two people having a conversation. It has very good and clever lyrics.

"So be my devil, angel 
Be my shooting star 
So be my devil, angel 
Be my shooting star"

Dakota, the first single to be taken from the album is quick and very catchy, the song is very ‘happy’ and about one of the lead singers’ ex girlfriend. An electronic feel to the song, very popular but not the best song on the album.

“Wake up call, coffee and juice 
Remembering you 
What happened to you?”

Rewind is the slowest song of the album and has a very meaningful feel to it, the song seems to be Kelly asking his (ex)friend who stole his girlfriend in 2000 whether he really is happy with the way everything has turned out. Again a mention of Jesus in the song.

“If you could rewind your time 
Would you change your life? 
Rewind your time 
Would you change your life? “

Pedalpusher is generally a good song, includes a few riffs and a stunning performance by all three members of the group.

"You got your head on the chopping block 
So get your ouija board out 
Push the pedal now 
Push!!"

Girl is a quick, sharp, snappy song which is like someone having an adrenalin rush, impressive chorus although not as good as some of the others on the album.

"Girl you got me going 
Don't you wanna fly? 
Yeah, yeah, yeeeeaaaaahhhhh”

Lolita, named after Kelly’s daughter, the chorus seems to be about her as well although the verses most likely are not . It’s a bit of a breather from the previous songs om the album and slows the pace a bit, its certainly not the slowest on the album be is still pretty slow.

“Memories tangled up the spokes that 
Make my wheel, 
Make my wheel, 
Oh everything has gone wrong!”

Deadhead is a b-side from a song taken from the previous album, You Gotta Go There To Come Back, the song has been hyped up with synthesizers and given a more electric feel to it.

“Cigarette burning, got an opal ring 
Dirty magazine turning, you're a bird who sings 
Sleeping on a shag pile, sleeping on me 
Sleeping like an angel watching over me”

Feel, loads of lyrics and slow, the lyrics are hard to make sense of between chorus’ and verses as it seems to have no distinct difference in tune.

“It'll kill you in the end 
But not to have it, you haven't lived 
It will break you, make you, take you, hate you again”

Overall the album is a surprise, many expected it to continue on the two previous albums speed and style (slow and boring). While its not back to their roots it still is a more updated look, it has a very good use of effects and is a overall very good album. I would give it a 8/10.