Stereophonics
frontman
Kelly Jones
roars "Cuz all I wanna do/Is make a mess outta you" on
"Doorman,"
one of many white-hot blowouts from the band's fifth album,
Language. Sex. Violence. Other?
The album title borrows from the classification code used on the backs of DVDs, and its blunt display instantly pulls listeners toward
' nonchalant chutzpah.
Jones
and bassist
Richard Jones
have never sounded more brash. The
punk
-inspired spark that made their 1997 debut,
Word Gets Around
, so impressive is rekindled. This 11-song set, which features quick and curt one-word song titles, is matched with sex appeal and an unshakable confidence. Argentinean-born
Javier Weyler
, who replaced founding drummer
Stuart Cable
in 2004, is a great fit with
' wicked yet sensitive personality. Songs such as the smoldering bass
funk
of
"Brother,"
the crunchy drop-kick of
"Girl,"
and the glossy guitar hooks of
"Dakota"
find
' second coming to be a convincing one.
' signature vocal grit saunters around the bravado of
"Superman"
and slow wax of
"Pedalpusher"
particularly well. This is the studio record they've been dying to make. While their previous four albums all showcased great moments,
never fully realized their full-throttled power until
Previous singles like
"Madame Helga"
and
"The Bartender and the Thief"
were mere glimpses into what this Welsh
rock
threesome could do if they just built upon their thick, merciless riffs and
' rough-edged vocals.
is such an intense studio record.
could not have nailed it any better. ~ MacKenzie Wilson