Performance And Cocktails - Stereophonics

Advantages: -
Disadvantages: -

The Stereophonics, the boys from the Welsh valleys hit the big time with their first recording ‘Word Gets Around’. This is their second ever album released in 1999, and it is more than a match for a follow up. I would always give the Stereophonics a lot of time. They are hardly manufactured; just some lads that could play and sing that have known each other for years coming from a poor area. They are talented people in the three-piece ...
...also manage to behave themselves impeccably and keep off the tabloids pages. The manage themselves well and have come up trumps here to prove they are one of the best at the time of the release and no flash in the pan. The album opens with ‘Roll up and Shine’. This is a good opener with a very loud introduction, which has some of the distinctive vocals of Kelly Jones almost immediately. It is not an excellent track, but a good build up ... Read review

Advantages: a couple of great tracks
Disadvantages: plodding, unoffensive MOR seems to be the order of the day

1997 saw the release of 'Word Gets Around', the debut album from the Stereophonics, which rode the wave of sucess carrying other Welsh bands into mainstream awareness. While it probably lacked the invention of the Super Furry Animals or the emotional depth of the Manics, its energy and humorous social comment made it a lucrative album which still retained some credibility. While it had some mellow moments few concessions were made to anything other ...
...of ego the songs really embedded themselves in your subconcious. 'Performance and Cocktails', released in 1999, is the consumate example of somophore jinx. While the choruses are still there, the guitars are markedly toned down, and the vitality of 'Word Gets Around' appears to be absent. Certainly the 'Phonics deserve credit for reasserting their position as one of the UKs most well received bands, but the term 'radio friendly unit shifter' seems ... Read review

Advantages: Great tracks with strong lyrics
Disadvantages: A couple of weak links

In the last few years, I have gone from being a huge fan of this band around the time they released 'Local Boy' to being quite indifferent to them now, as I think they have become so caught up in the whole rock n roll lifestyle, and whilst taking themselves so seriously, they seem to have forgotten what they do best, and that is write and perform great songs, and this was the last album from them that I really liked, and it is still a favourite of ...
...hit after the next, and if you like the gravelly tones of Kelly Jones (oops that rhymed!), then this is a surefire winner for you. It is the kind of CD that has to be played loud for best effect, especially in your car, when for some reason it makes that right foot press harder on the accelerator whilst you sing your heart out...or is that just me? Stereophonics are Kelly Jones (vocals and guitar), Stuart Cable (drums) and Richard Jones (bass). All ... Read review

Advantages: A good follow up to WGA
Disadvantages: Not perfect but then what is

...an album almost its equal, Performance and Cocktails. The expectation was high to see how the Phonics would or even if they could make a better album. The result? Better no, As Good? Definitely. They had gone from being the Tragic Love Company playing working men’s clubs to being the Stereophonics, playing Wembley and the Millenium Stadium. The reason for writing this op is the release of the Phonics 4th album, You Gotta Go There To Come Back, ...
...as it includes the line Performance and Cocktails. “Roll Out The Shock Parade, Free falling from a stage” Next up we have the first single taken from the album, “Bartender And The Thief”. The video was suppose to be a remake of a scene from Apocalypse Now, and actually worked very well. The track itself starts in a similar way to the last track and is pretty much the same pace with the guitars and drums playing loud, but ... Read review

Advantages: Great lyrics that really mean something with good music.
Disadvantages: Let me know if you can find any.

The 8th of March 1999 was a very special day for the Stereophonics. This day saw the release of their 2nd and by far the best album to date. The Stereophonics are a very special band who formed many years ago under the name of “Tragic Love Company” but then stole the name from lead singer Kelly Jones’ dads gramophone. It was called a monophonic but now with the band playing in full stereo they decided to name themselves the Stereophonics. ...
...waiting for, a group of normal people, who actually knew each other, who didn’t get drunk every weekend throw furniture out of hotel windows or attack air stewardesses. All of the above was being taken care of by the musically not mentally gifted Oasis who balanced their fantastic song writing and playing abilities with the skill of not being able to visit a place without starting a riot. The Stereophonics have remained to this day one of the ... Read review