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Rating:
The "welcome back" must be earned. And it must be said that this time Kelly Jones' Stereophonics deserve it, fully and convincingly.
"Pull The Pin", the follow-up to "Language. Sex. Violence. Other?", is a great album that happily showcases the various souls of the Welsh band, enriches the overall sound (which was rather flat in the previous work), and adds some new influences to the group's connective tissue (something that never hurts).
The new album comes after a live album and after Kelly Jones' first solo "divertissement"; the latter is only traceable in "Bright Red Star", which follows the acoustic and intimate path of Kelly's solo album. For the rest, as per an already established tradition, it starts with a track with a dirty and decisive riff like "Soldiers Make Good Targets", which could be a successor to some of the openers of the old albums, like "Vegas Two Times" or "Help Me (She's Out Of Her Mind)". It continues with "Pass The Buck", a super catchy track where Jones inserts the classic chorus ("pa-pa-pa/pa-pa-pa/pa-pa-pappa") typical of the 'phonics, then belts out a chorus that to call radio-friendly is an understatement.
This is followed by the two singles: the new one, "It Means Nothing", a sort of new "Maybe Tomorrow", will probably become yet another hit for the group. It's a languid ballad, where Kelly’s unmistakable voice dominates before exploding, as usual, in a yelled, emotional, and visceral final. It was written right after the attacks on the London Underground, and it shows. The other single, "Bank Holiday Monday", is a crisp and tight rock 'n roll lasting three minutes and change, pleasant and direct.
The calm soul of the album arrives in the middle part of the record; "Daisy Lane" is a simple and pleasant pop gem, endowed with yet another catchy chorus, built on a simple guitar arpeggio and a not at all invasive electronic drum. "Stone", instead, resonates heavily with the evocative rock of Coldplay, and this time the emotional charge is fully unleashed in the beautiful refrain. Not surprisingly, the track was initially scheduled as the second single. Electric guitars make a comeback in the following "My Friends" and "I Could Lose Ya", then take a backseat in the aforementioned "Bright Red Star". In "Lady Luck", Coldplay (this time those of "Politik") reappear as more than just an ectoplasmic presence, just as "Crush" could very well have come out of the "Word Gets Around" sessions. "Drowning" closes on a rockish tone, then fades slowly at the end.
Sure, no one shouts miracle, but the Stereophonics, after ten full years of career, still manage to churn out very valid and enjoyable records. And so it is.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Soldiers Make Good Targets (04:37)
What kind of pace are we living now?
Watching wars live, via satellite
You carry a gun but no smoking inside
Escape disease yet I could get shot tonight
You
Shoot
You
Lose
The time has come and you're all alone
And you know you're not dreaming
It's heaven's door, you're ringing on the bell
Will they let you in, or you going to hell?
I'll take a war, I'll take mine with fries
Medium rare, wash a coke down with ice
Swallow it down no time to digest
What do you know, I'm feeling hungry again
You
Shoot
You
Loose
The time has come and you're all alone
And you know you're not dreaming
It's heaven's door, you're ringing on the bell
Will they let you in, or you going to hell?
03 It Means Nothing (03:48)
Did we lose ourselves again?
Did we take in what’s been said?
Did we take the time to be,
all the things we said we’d be?
So we bury hopes in sand
And my future’s in my hands
It means nothing
It means nothing
You can find yourself apart
But you leave in which one you want
Cause they love you all the same
They just go by different names
Did you fly your flag today?
Are you proud or just ashamed?
It means nothing
It means nothing
It means nothing
It means nothing
It means nothing
If I haven’t got you
If I haven’t got you
If I haven’t got you
If I haven’t got you
The sun sets in the sky
You’re the apple of my eye
If the bomb goes off again
Blows my brain around the train
And I hope that I’m with you
Cause I wouldn’t know what to do
It means nothing
It means nothing
It means nothing
It means nothing
It means nothing
If I haven’t got you
If I haven’t got you
If I haven’t got you
If I haven’t got you
06 Stone (04:17)
I don't know why I let you go
You said you'd wait I said I'd hope you would
We talked 'til late until we walked away
What's meant to be will be the same
And I feel like stone
Yes I feel ice cold
I pick myself up from the ground
Sick to death of lying down
And now I have to find you once again
You're in my soul
You're in my mind
But I don't know where you are now
You're in my soul
You're in my mind
But I don't know where you are now
Driving round and round until its dawn
To look for you in rooms we used to go
I held you back, I had to set you free
But now I know what's meant to be
And I feel like stone
Yes I feel ice cold
I pick myself up from the ground
Sick to death of lying down
And now I have to find you once again
You're in my soul
You're in my mind
But I don't know where you are now
You're in my soul
You're in my mind
But I don't know where you are now
You're in my soul
You're in my mind
But I don't know where you are now
You're in my soul
You're in my mind
But I don't know where you are now
07 My Friends (03:35)
Stop tap drink back eye on you
You're out to find that something new
Am i the fly you want trapped in your web
I've seen that look a thousand times
Your innocence can make you blind
I can show you round a block or two
Let me introduce you to my friends
Let me buy you things, let me in your head
Let us fly away let this never end
My friend
My friend
Kick back think back look at you
You got the look you got the shoes
I'd like to fill your world and be with you
Your lust for life just turns me on
A star above that's shining on
Think i'd like to see the world like you
Let me introduce you to my friends
Let me buy you things, let me in your head
Let us fly away let this never end
My friend
My friend
Let me introduce you to my friends
Let me buy you things, let me in your head
Let us fly away let this never end
My friend
My friend
10 Lady Luck (03:45)
We're falling now, can't make it stop
Our arms are open for the thing we want
But what we want just can't have
What could've been but the timing's bad
Don't cry cry baby now
You're my my Lady Luck
We follow the signs to make us meet
Into the night, to places no-one sees
I never learned from looking back
You picked me up from off my back
But now it seems our time has passed
Don't cry cry baby now
You're my my Lady Luck
You picked me up right off my back
I'd fallen down you brought me up
We shared the night until the morning comes to take us back
Away to where
We chose to belong
And maybe we're wrong, but we gotta be strong
There's too much to lose
And maybe we're fools, who knows? Who knows? Who knows?
Who knows? Who knows?
We follow the signs to make us meet
Into the night, to places no-one sees
11 Crush (03:56)
We swapped our lines late last night then
We started talking truths til noon
Yeah noon
We fantasize of kidnap tie me up and tease me in your boots
Yeah you
I like to feel the crush it makes me feel alive
To have you in my life, than not it just feels right
And when the sun goes down the moonlight paints the night
That's when the sleeping dog awakes and comes alive
I like to fight for the right to light up a cigarette for you
Boo hoo
Although the timing's not right, my head spins around and round for you
Yeah you
I like to feel the crush it makes me feel alive
To have you in my life, than not it just feels right
And when the sun goes down the moonlight paints the night
That's when the sleeping dog awakes and comes alive
Come back now
Come back now
Come back and stay
Don't ever go
Don't ever go
It's alright, it's alright it makes me feel alive
To have you in my life, than not it just feels right
I'm alive
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Other reviews
By bede
"Soldiers Make Good Targets" features an aggressive attack and a great solo that showcases stronger guitar collaboration.
"Daisy Lane" is simply a masterpiece, delivering cascades of intimate and beautiful emotion.
