Kelly Jones
Only The Names Have Been Changed

Has Thom Yorke started a trend? After the Radiohead frontman, likely to counter the group's unwelcome desire to return to a seemingly more rock sound, launched his first (excellent) solo project (to pass the time while waiting for the release of the new English band's work scheduled for 2007), Kelly Jones from the Stereophonics decided to do the same by releasing this "Only The Names Have Been Changed."

The reasons seem to be different, however (we're always in the field of hypotheses, not being able, of course, to get into the artists' minds). Jones's album, in fact, seems more like the result of a compelling expressive urgency, evident from the fact that it was recorded in a day and a half with just voice and guitar. Yorke's, on the other hand, seems to be a much more studied and refined album. But let's return to Mr. Kelly: the 'Phonics dwarf offers us simple acoustic rock made of dreamy arpeggios and the usual raspy and expressive voice; musically, the reference album returns to being "Just Enough Education To Perform" which marked the semi-acoustic turn of the Welsh combo, but without those sunny-pop tones that characterized songs like the super famous "Have A Nice Day." The fundamental characteristic at the lyrical level is that every track is titled with a female name; you'd rightly call it flattery towards the fairer sex, but also (of course) a healthy passion for women that translates into ten little stories well suited to the album's sound.

"Suzy" opens the album, and it's already a great listen, with Kelly's voice lying on a slow, purely acoustic melody and a super catchy chorus; it's the blueprint followed by almost all the album's tracks. Tracks like "Jayne," the only Stereophonics cover present in the work (from "Live From Dakota" in 2006), which attempts a slightly more elaborate melodic approach, and "Jean," unusually aggressive compared to the average work, stand out for (little) originality. "Violet," on the other hand, is the most "stereophonic" song on the album and seems like it came from the sessions of the old "You Gotta Go There To Come Back." For those in love with Kelly Jones's vocals and songwriting, this is a good half-hour diversion while waiting for the new album (which apparently will feature more use of choruses to support the songs compared to the group's past production).

"Only The Names Have Been Changed" will be released on March 26; it is already fully listenable on MySpace.