Stereophonics
Decade In The Sun: The Best Of Stereophonics (Deluxe Edition)

THE REVIEW

A decade in the sun.

And it must be a bright, shining sun that has blessed the career of the Stereophonics. A band that is certainly not innovative or experimental, but one that has given British rock moments of great songwriting and a charismatic and vocally gifted frontman like Kelly Jones.

This "Decade In The Sun: The Best Of Stereophonics" collects the best releases from the Welsh band over their extensive career, plus two new songs; the first and splendid single "You're My Star", endowed with a very incisive melody etched on a vaguely electropop base, and "My Own Worst Enemy", which sounds as if Rod Stewart is having fun doing a Foo Fighters cover.

In "cd 1", we encounter classics from the repertoire of Jones and company (ranging from the recent "Dakota" to their symbolic hit "Maybe Tomorrow" - an alluring shift into Simply Red territory -, to the fresh triumph of choruses in "Have A Nice Day") alternated with the free-spirited guitar thrashes of "The Bartender And The Thief" and "More Life In A Tramps Vest" and less obvious pieces like Mike D'Abo's cover "Handbags And Gladrags" (included in "Just Enough Education To Perform") or the semi-acoustic delicacies of "Step On My Old Size Nines" and "I Wouldn't Believe Your Radio".

The many tracks that have brought success to the ‘phonics (especially in Great Britain) are all there: also to be remembered is the dark and pounding "Superman", the engaging "lighter ballads" "Just Looking", "Traffic" and "It Means Nothing", the indictment against the press "Mr. Writer" and the heavy and crashing six-string of "Vegas Two Times".

In "cd 2", the discourse continues through equally numerous tracks that offer an interesting and exhaustive overview of the "lesser" production of the Welsh trio: pieces like the soul-tinged rock of "Madame Helga" or the might-have-been hit "Not Up To You" (among the very best tracks by the three "stereophonics") certainly deserved better visibility.

For those interested in learning more about the output of Kelly Jones's band, the material presented here is excellent and abundant.

While awaiting the next album, revisiting the deeds of this band might prove more than welcome.

Key tracks: "Dakota", "Maybe Tomorrow", "You're My Star", "A Thousand Trees", "Vegas Two Times", "Not Up To You", "I'm Alright (You Gotta Go There To Come Back)"