Customer Reviews

Pull the Pin

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Stereophonics return with what to me is their best album. It's already topped the UK album charts too, giving them their 5th chart topper.

Filled with shimmery, upbeat rockers, "Soldiers make good targets" (dealing with the ills of war), "Pass the buck" (reminiscent of REM, and one of my favourites), "Bank holiday" (with great pulsing/squealing guitars), next single "My friends", "I could loose ya", "Lady luck" and "Crush".

Where they really shine though is on the more downtempo songs. My favourite Stereophonics song is "Maybe tomorrow", and there are loads of songs in that vein on this album.

Lead off single "It means nothing" is an anthemic lighters aloft ballad with lyrics finding Kelly Jones singing about appreciating family and friends more after the London bombings of 2005. Other standouts are "Daisy lane", the stripped down acoustic "Bright red star", the U2-esque "Stone" (with pulsing guitars), and closing is the lovely psychedelic epic "Drowning".

Pull the pin and get ready for a blast!

Finally the Stereophonis have published an album that is worth every cent that you pay for it. It is a typical Brit-sounding rock album. It has a sound that is typical of the stereophincs but has a shade of Oasis and some of the sound that can come close to some of the Brit group that are dominating the scene today. This album shows a come back to the strength of the album "Just enough Education...". I must say I enjoy every single track. It's worth the buy!

So I finally got the new CD from the boy's with great anticipation. I have now gone through it seven eight times and.....well still waiting to get excited. It is a good effort, with some good intentions, but just misses that Stereo's magic. It seems to be somthing left over from Sex and JEEP. I am not going to say I hate, because I don't but I am sad to say that this one does not leap out at you, but when your a fan, as I am, it is still the Stereo's and I will gladly wait for the next one with great anticipation.

I am a long-time fan of Stereophonics, going back to the great first three albums, 1997's "Words Get Around, 1999's "Performance and Cocktails" (still their best album), and 2001's "Just Enough Education to Perform". The band has religiously continued to release a new album every two years, and this album, originally released in Fall, 2007, is the latest installment.

"Pull the Pin" (12 tracks, 46 min.) starts of tremendously, with the 1-2 punch of the hard charging "Soldiers Make Good Targets" and "Pass the Buck", as good as anything the band has done. It is followed by the more mellow "It Means Nothing" (1st UK single), which is Ok. However, after another hard-charging "Bank Holiday Monday" (which was released as a free download before the album was released), the album starts a downward spiral with too many forgettable songs, on e of the exceptions being "My Friends" (2nd UK single, and incidentally the lowest charting single ever for the band). Frankly, the album would have benefited from a slightly shorter running time, cutting out a couple of the weaker filler songs.

The album was re-released in 2008 with a bonus DVD, which brings 4 songs (yes, regretfully just 4) from the album, recorded at London's Wembley Stadium (indeed the band is that popular in the UK). The DVD is enjoyable, with "Bank Holiday Monday" and "Pass the Buck" in particular showcasing the band, and singer-songwriter Kelly Jones, at it's best, but why not give us a whole bunch more than just 4 songs? In all, "Pull the Pin" is not a bad album, and certainly miles better than their two previous studio albums, but it's not at the same level than the "Performance" and "JEEP" albums.

Sorry Kelly Jones and boys, I expect a lot better. I think you guys tried too hard to pull the magic twice over from the last great record you made. When I heard the single, I thought "uh-oh" I hope it is not another "You Gotta Go There To Come Back". What happened? However, being a fan and focusing on the Phonics strong merits: Self-titled, Performance & Cocktails, JEEP, Language, Sex, Violence & Other, I am hopeful that your next album will be more thought out. Personally speaking, it sounds as if you re-worked a bunch of b-sides from the last album and failed miserably to achieve the success you as a band are very capable of. Oasis must be laughing their head's off right about now when listening to this!

I've been a Phonics fan since the "Performance" era. I recall watching them on Jools Holland show performing "Just Looking" and I had a BLAST!!! I checked on the band finding "Word Gets Around" and a lot of nice B-sides, like "Carrot cake and Wine" "Raymond's shop" etc, etc. It was the year 1999-2000. Then, "JEEP" was released. I remember enjoying that album a lot, because the sound was very melodic, soft and catchy. I spent a lot of time searching for rarities, B-sides, live performances and anything related to the Band until 2003's "YGGTTCB" came out.....I was a little, little overwhelmed. The sound was more acoustic and blues, than Alterantive Rock, but "LSVO" in 2005 was catch of fresh air and I loved all the singles. The whole album was for me so cutting-edge because of the artwork, the raw sound, the marketing for the album, the colors, etc. When "Live from Dakota" I had serious doubt about buying it or no, because it was a live album (more the same) but as a die hard fan I got it. Until then, the Phonics had always amazed me with new sounds, lyrics, rhithyms adn of course, Kelly's voice that have been improving since the first album.

But then, in 2007 a black covered album came out, the first single sound good, but what I've been hearing is lousiness, slow songs, repetitive harmonic vocals and no emotion at all. Zero emotion. Countless times I've listened to this record, but I haven't found the magic that captures me. I listen and listen and it's like listening to the same sound, none sense music. I bought "Keep Calm" and I haven't heard it yet because I'm affraid to listen to the same ol'boring Stereophonics. I'm very, very nervous.

Pull the pin opened my eyes to the light of mediocrecy of a band. That's why I give it 2 stars.

excellent album, comparable to the 'language sex ...', good tunes, harsh voice, rough sound, that guy kelly jones definitely knows his job

This is possibly the Stereophonics best CD yet. I've been playing it over and over in my truck. I only wish they'd start playing their music on US radio. Rock and Roll is dead in the US today. I'm so glad rock lives on in the UK.

I have to say that this is one of the best albums I have heard in a long time. The thing about it is that it takes a few listens, but if you keep going it will WOW you.

This album has a little harder edge than some of Stereophonic previous work. But very well done.