Just Enough Education To Perform - Stereophonics > Reviews

Advantages: Just a few good songs
Disadvantages: Down and dire general feel

The Stereophonics are back Just Enough Education to Perform is their latest offering. Having established themselves as one of the top British acts with two top albums what is in store this time with more experience and time to develop? Just Enough Education to Perform (JEEP for short) was released in 2001 as the original, but has since been re-released to include some new tracks. This is the third album from the Stereophonics since their first ... Read review

Advantages: Offers something different to fans; some pretty good songs
Disadvantages: Not as good as previous albums; could have been better; no really superb songs

...would be that people are just disappointed that J.E.E.P. isn't quite as good as the first two albums, and so decide to dismiss it without really giving it a fair hearing. True, the first time you hear it you're not all that impressed, but after a while some of the tunes do become quite catchy. I must confess that the Stereophonics' first album (Word Gets Around) is one of my all-time favourites, but just because their latest album marks a departure ... Read review

Advantages: Great tunes from a band that wont ever submit to the grind of the music business.
Disadvantages: Not quite as varied as their previous albums but still a classic.

...This must be because its just a song about normal life, people can relate to it in many ways but the way that I see it is the explanation of the way Kelly sees the world looking out. He is not a simple person and from the interviews I have read he seems to change quite quickly. He has sort of grown p even more with each album and this song shows that he is a lot more streetwise now. “Have a nice day” is a tune very different to the rest of the ... Read review

Advantages: More tuneful than previous offerings, Kelly Jones's voice still in top gravelly form!
Disadvantages: A few songs which distinctly lack a chorus.

...is not poor, it is just very different from anything the stereophonics have done before. The album opens with crashing drums and guitars on the raucous 'Vegas two times'. This isn't a particular favourite of mine, but there are better things to come. The next track 'Lying in the sun' is totally uncharacteristic of the stereophonics, but it's an absolute treat. A lovely relaxing, acoustic track with a chorus that grows on you like an absess. Next ... Read review

Advantages: classic phonics
Disadvantages: maybe not their best

'J.E.E.P' (Just Enough Education to Perform) is the Stereophonics third album following 'Word Gets Round' and 'Performance and Cocktails'. It was to originally be entitled 'Jeep' but the DaimlerChrysler lawyers said they couldn't name it after their 4-wheel drive motors. My album also came with a decent multimedia section which features acoustic video performances of ‘Lying In The Sun’ and ‘Step On My Old Size Nines’. It ... Read review

Advantages: Interactive CD. Complete that stereophonics collection. you know you want to!
Disadvantages: Not the Stereophonics of old - a bit TOO soft?

...like it is! I basically just like 'Have a nice day' because it is so catchy... Personally i dont like 'Caravan holiday' and 'Step on my old size nines!!' because the later is just a little too...quaint? clichéd? whatever, it just didnt do anything for me. 'Caravan holiday' simply because its so monotonous and unlike the stereophonics i like listening to. Im not sure whether i should recommend this or not. There are some great tracks, but unfortunately ... Read review

Advantages: Ozzes class, the talents of the band
Disadvantages: Not the freshest album ever, none of the roughness left, just 11 tracks

...- it's not bigger, there's just a load more flavours on it. It's more dynamic as well, a free-sounding record that we can't wait to play live." I will look at JEEP track by track and then ramble on. (Bear in mind I am a big Stereophonics fan, and I know that a lot of people do not like them, however I do not wish to participate in the Britney/Christina debate, nor whether the chicken came first or the egg, sorry) 'Vegas ... Read review

Advantages: Something different from the boyband, plastic-band dredge that destroys local radio.
Disadvantages: There is nothing original here. Monotone singing isn't for everyone.

...have a CD player. I just wanted to listen to the dratted music. As is the way with any albums produced these days I fully expected some annoying multi-media package to spring to life. The Sterophonics’s multi-media package did not spring to life; it slowly crawled to life. I was already growing inpatient when the error message appeared on my screen. Wonderful, it’s looking for Win32 dlls and since I’m using NT it wasn’t ... Read review

Advantages: Their Music Is Brilliant
Disadvantages: I will think of some, I know I will???

...don’t do many like this, Just a guitar and him singing really. But I thought that it was good and it was a pleasure to listen to. 11: “Rooftop” Bit of a weird introduction, not like the Stereophonics. For just under a minute this went on for. Once it got going though, they were back to their usual. This one is my third favourite and I enjoy listening to it thoroughly. Hoped you’ve enjoyed reading because I’ve ... Read review

Advantages: Mr Writer, Vegas Two Times
Disadvantages: the rest of the album - a slow, new direction

...songs, but as ever thats just my opinion. The album has a promising start, opening with a song that exemplifies what the ‘Phonics do best. Vegas Two Times is their traditional opening rock and roll, feel good song, this time couple with a gospel backing choir, presumably the one they picked up whilst doing Mama Told Me Not to Come, that ill advised duet with Tom Jones. But sadly, they do not start as they mean to go on as the second track, ... Read review

Advantages: quality,depth,musicianship
Disadvantages: CDprint and images may need a magnifying glass to appreciate

...Predecessors to Just Enough Education To Perform were "Word Gets Around " and "Performance And Cocktails?" "Tragic Love Company" was the previous name for the group, tragically never to succeed in that form. A change of name and a signing to Virgin, working the home circuit including working men's clubs, led to the success maturely expressed in J.E.E.P. Early influences to style include Led Zeppelin and the Kinks. Kelly Jones wrote all the ... Read review

Advantages: hhmmmmm, let me get back to you on this one
Disadvantages: While listening to it on a PC, it auto-loads realplayer and interviews,etc. This is very annoying!!

...Thief" and "Just Looking" was just cool. With "Mr Writer" having a lot of airplay, i was really excited about the forthcomming album. As you can imagine i was down at my local music store on Monday 11th April. This was it, i was getting the new album. i got straight on the bus home and put it into my CD player...."What's this?" i thought as i was greeted by what sounded like strumming of guitars and women going "hhmmmmmm" and "ooohhhhhhh". i went ... Read review