What can you say abut the Welsh maestros? Commercially, they just keep on piling up the sales; of the nine albums they have released, this is their sixth number one, and represents a comeback of sorts after their two previous albums failed to hit the top spot. You really have to take your hats off to the Cwmaman band, a four-piece who have become one of the biggest bands of recent times. What is their secret?
Certainly, they have this uncanny ability to make acutely radio friendly and unfussy songs that appeal to the mainstream and beyond. There's a simplicity to almost everything they release, married to those key ingredients; epic, and passion. The Stereophonics tread that fine line between overblown stadium rock fare, and intimate pub rock-outs, able to deliver musical fare that is communal in spirit, and yet intimate in delivery.
This time around they have ditched any notions of a concept (as on their previous album) and set out instead putting together a collection of tracks, with singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer Kelly Jones directing operations, as always. There are some obvious reference points, particularly U2, perhaps the biggest of all epic guitar bands to have strutted Planet Earth. White Lies is all Where the Streets Have No Name, the guitar sounding like Edge, and Jones like Bono, as he does on I Wanna Get Lost On You, an uber radio friendly tune. A highlight of the album, it glides effortlessly along a mid-tempo rock groove, Jones wanting nothing more than to get lost with you. It ain't Dylan, but then Dylan never had Stereophonics sales…
They keep it simple, they know their limitations, and they usually do it very well, such as on the fast paced, lyric heavy, two note lead track C'est La Vie: 'Yeah, you believe you're the king of the jungle/You got the t-shirt, do you know how the song goes?/You're looking good, but the fact is you're lazy/But people love you 'cause you're funny and crazy' as Jones sings about good-time inertia; those missed opportunities; opportunities staring you into face, and opportunities still ahead. It's down home, anthemic and buzzing.
The acoustic Song for the Summer is further evidence that Kelly is a very good singer, never over egging the pudding, but passionate nonetheless, instinctive and intimate too. This 60s influenced Glenn Campbell meets Turin Brakes hazy strumming and strings-infused tune, was apparently written in the middle of the album's sessions, and knocked out in less than an hour. The sentiments as usual are comforting and easy-on-the ear: 'Song for the summer, song for the rain, get closer to see clear again'…
There are more strings on the epic, and gently moody Fight or Flight, which has hardly has any sentiments apart from those about running away and finding a way, you gotta be free (man), although here Stereophonics do manage to expand their musical palette, delving ever-so-subtly into psychedelia and trip hop, helped along by a simple piano melody.
Elsewhere, their eclecticism shines through, if not always successfully, such as on the improbable Happy Mondays meets Kooks, but dull white man's funk of Sing Little Sister. And then there's Jones going a little bit Rufus Wainwright on us for the light orchestral pop of My Hero, while Sunny starts off with just simple piano chords and Kelly's voice, before more strings help it to segue into a plodding groove; a very simple descending scale before it morphs again, faster still, into an extended lead guitar outro, far too reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac's The Chain.
Yes, they aren't the most original of bands out there, but when you can consistently come up with fan and radio friendly fare such as this, does it matter? They are probably the finest post Britpop middle-of-the-road band in operation today. Sometimes, MOR is all you need…
Jeff Hemmings
Website: stereophonics.com