HALF THE LIES YOU TELL AINT TRUE (Performance And Cocktails - Stereophonics)

Member Name: C_Padd

Product:	Performance And Cocktails - Stereophonics
Date:	19/07/02 (320 review reads)
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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.

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