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 ... Read review
There are three themes toPerformance And Cocktails: slow, a bit faster and "hey, let's ... more
make a noise for a bit". The former, as heard on "Hurry Up And Wait", start off by making you feel like curling up into a little ball and wallowing, but too much rep...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
There are three themes toPerformance And Cocktails: slow, a bit faster and "hey, let's ... more
make a noise for a bit". The former, as heard on "Hurry Up And Wait", start off by making you feel like curling up into a little ball and wallowing, but too much repetition could get wearing, which is why the mid-tempo tunes fill the gaps in the middle with the prettier tunes, like "Just Looking". Yet it's the faster tracks, particularly "The Bartender And The Thief", that hold the most interest. Here, the band can pull themselves out of the mire and show off why they love AC/DC so much--because it's more fun bouncing around a bit than complaining all the time.Performance And Cocktailscovers all bases so thoroughly that it's not surprising it catapulted the Stereophonics into the mainstream.--Emma Johnston
Postage & Packaging:£1.21 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
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 ... ...man. They 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 ... more
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 band, with Kelly Jones the stand out front man. They 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 and plenty of guitars to keep going. Second is the much better ‘Bartender and the Thief’. This is my favourite track off the album and probably the best ever from them. Much more pace and fast flowing lyrics to this one as well as the loud and alive guitars. Great energy and a good message behind as it narrates a story of two con people. Excellent
‘Hurry up and Wait’ is a real change down several gears in speed. Slower and of great quality, showing how deep they can go and the variety within. Asking a question ‘hurry up and wait, but what’s worth waiting for’. Good title for the song and great lyrics written by them. A change right back up again with ‘Pick a Part that’s New’ which is a pure rock song and very good. Fast moving with excellent guitars that have left a mark on many of these tracks. Great video as well with an Italian Job makeover.
‘Just Looking’ really shows up Kelly Jones as an excellent singer. The vocals are the stand out feature of this track. Top quality music as well as excellent lyrics and just stand out despite being much slower paced. ‘Half the Lies you tell Ain’t True’ the title makes you think, and the rest of the lyrics are not bad either. The song has some very heavy guitars on it in the background and keeps moving well. The chorus is the best big which has a good rhythm and nice feel to it. ‘I Wouldn’t Believe Your Radio’ is another sort of track that stands out simply for the vocals and the lyrics. A simple and smooth song that is easy to get into, and lovely lyrics.
The next track is ‘T-Shirt Suntan’ is a more guitar driven song and again Kelly’s vocals stand above these. Not really a memorable song, but the guitars are good and it comes really to life in the chorus and is far from bad. ‘Is Yesterday, Tomorrow Today’ is another change in pace as a slower ride and ends up as a powerful emotional song in places. ‘A Minute Longer’ is another vocal effort with excellent lyrics behind the voice. ‘She Takes her Clothes Off’ is an acoustic song and is telling the story of a woman and the lyrics really being very good. ‘Plastic California’ and ‘ I stopped to Fill up my Car’ end off the album and both are less impressive than other tracks, though good enough fillers.
Overall this is my favourite offering from the Stereophonics. There are some really excellent tracks here and very few poor ones. I am not as keen on their latest album, this for me remains the best.
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 ...
mabaker 15.08.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Performance And Cocktails - Stereophonics
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 ...
nicanddarrell 27.09.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Performance And Cocktails - Stereophonics
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 ...
Andy.mack 25.06.2003 (26.06.2003)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Performance And Cocktails - Stereophonics
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 ...
assistant_14 15.01.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Performance And Cocktails - Stereophonics
Advantages: full of superb songs Disadvantages: n/a
When listening to this album don't make the mistake by starting listening to the released tracks. The rest of the album is easily on par with their first, if not better. Tracks like 'Is yesterday tomorrow today,' 'A minute longer,' and 'I stopped to fill my car up' show the talent of this band, and they have a lot of it, i defy anyone to not like the Stereophonics they are one of the best and most original bands of the 90's with big things ahead ...
Gemgemmings 10.09.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Performance And Cocktails - Stereophonics
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Quality and consistency...
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Reviews which might be of interest for "Performance And Cocktails - Stereophonics"
Advantages: timeless 'phonics album, welsh band. anthemic,thought-provoking. Disadvantages: welsh band.some of the lyrics are hard to make out.depressing at points
Advantages: Great songs, fantastic lyrics Disadvantages: none
This is a must have album from the Welsh 3-peice.
The follow-up to the fantastic 'Word Gets Around' this album really thrust the 'Phonics into the mainstream.
Performance and Cocktails is a fantastic mix of pretty songs which really pull at your heart strings and up-tempo 'air guitar' music. This blend ensures listening to this album is an emotional rollercoaster, yet dispite the stark contrast between songs they blend beautifully.
Kelly Jones has one of the most distinctive voices in the charts today, and he really manages to convey the emotions of every song on this album, however the music and lyrics are so powerful it would be just as good if sang by posh spice.
This is the kind of album you simply must have in your collection, and the kind of album you have the strongest desire to share with people who do not understand ...
Advantages: 12 fantastic track Disadvantages: the album is fairly short
I actually go this album AFTER purchasing 'Performance and cocktails' although this is the Stereophonic's FIRST album. 'Word gets around' has to be one of my favourite albums of all time because it is basically a work of art.
The album kicks of with the well known track 'A thousand tress' and is suceeded by 11 other tracks that are equally as brilliant. One of the best aspects of the songs are the lyrics, they're well written and many of them tell a story which makes them even more interesting. Sometimes the tracks on an album all sound the same and blend into each other but each song stands out and is deifferent to the next. this makes it even more enjoyable to listen to.
The cover design and inlay aren't too complax or flashy but they are stylish. I like the fact that the lyrics are written in the inlay as this means you ...
Product Information for "Performance And Cocktails - Stereophonics" »
Product details
Title
Performance And Cocktails
Performer
Stereophonics
Genre
Rock & Pop
Release Date
08/03/1999
Recomended Retail Price
10.99 GBP
Original Release Year
1999
Label / Distributor
V2 / Universal Music
Engineer
Bird & Bush
Producer
Bird & Bush
Pieces in Set
1
Studio / Live
Studio
Stereo
Stereo
Format
Performer
EAN
5033197044927
Additional notes
Album Notes
Stereophonics: Kelly Jones (vocals, guitar); Richard Jones (bass); Stuart Cable (drums). Additional personnel: Astrid (vocals); Marshall Bird (piano, Fender Rhodes piano, Hammond organ, Mellotron). What you see is very much what you get with this Welsh trio. Listening to this album, with its refreshingly uncluttered production, brings frontman Kelly Jones and his two sidekicks into the room with you. Jones sings about everyday topics and emotions in his own inimitable voice, set to outrageously catchy melodies and driven by a strong guitar-based sound. PERFORMANCE AND COCKTAILS boasts an impressive quota of hit singles, of which "Just Looking," "Pick a Part That's New," and "The Bartender and the Thief" are the best. The album tracks are also extremely fine. Take the closing number, a heartfelt postlude threatening to build on a scale equivalent to "Stairway to Heaven" before ultimately burning itself out. Compared to Stereophonics' debut, WORD GETS AROUND, this second album presents a more polished, slightly less raw approach. It's the sound of a band that has made it and is confident in its credentials. This was undoubtedly one of 1999's most sought-after albums, so go off and join the thousands who've already bought it.
Album Reviews
Q (1/00, p.86) - Included in Q Magazine's "50 Best Albums of 1999." Q (12/00, p.151) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...Their shouty power pop certainly does its job....An early Xmas gift for the hardcore fan..."
Titles on disc 1
1.
Roll Up And Shine
2.
Bartender And The Thief
3.
Hurry Up And Wait
4.
Pick A Part That's New
5.
Just Looking
6.
Half The Lies You Tell Me Ain't True
7.
I Wouldn't Believe Your Radio
8.
T Shirt Sun Tan
9.
Is Yesterday Tomorrow Today
10.
Minute Longer
11.
She Take Her Clothes Off
12.
Plastic California
13.
I Stopped To Fill My Car Up
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