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THE REVIEW
As we were....
On August 21, 1997, with "Be Here Now," Oasis placed the tombstone on a large part of what is commonly known as britpop. Just four days later, a very promising Welsh band, the Stereophonics, led by the elfin frontman/singer/guitarist/songwriter Kelly Jones, a sort of cross (vocally speaking) between Rod Steward and Liam Gallagher, released their debut. The album, titled "Word Gets Around," immediately achieved good success, easily entering the top ten, and already the comparisons (as often happens in the U.K.) were rampant, with the foremost being with the immortal Who.
Now that we're almost in 2009, we all know the 'phonics never became the new Who, but they have made plenty of good things, starting with this debut: forty-two minutes of guitars and beautiful melodies that kick off with the compelling "A Thousand Trees" and close with the delightful melancholy of "Billy Davey's Daughter", moving through harder tracks ("Looks Like Chaplin"), lighter-waving ballads still heavily influenced by the then-ubiquitous Gallagher brothers ("Traffic"), and perfect tracks for a nice car journey preferably to unknown destinations ("Check My Eyelids For Holes" and "Same Size Feet", plagiarized five years later by Oasis themselves for their "The Hindu Times").
Sometimes the Welsh trio veers toward indie rock-leaning patterns, as in the case of the brief and bouncy "More Life In A Tramp's Vest", while elsewhere they try to move emotions, succeeding quite well (the hit "Local Boy In The Photograph"). An obligatory mention for the sublime "Not Up To You" which, with more care in production and arrangement, could have even worked great as a smash hit.
Jones interprets every single syllable with incredible skill and passion, as if every note performed were the last, and the band follows him with enthusiasm and conviction.
One of the most beautiful debuts of the late nineties, this "Word Gets Around", highly recommended for anyone who wants to get an idea of Jones and company's (good) music.
Key tracks: "Looks Like Chaplin", "More Life In A Tramp's Vest", "Not Up To You", "Too Many Sandwiches"
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Summary by Bot
Stereophonics' debut album 'Word Gets Around' launched in 1997 features passionate vocals by Kelly Jones and a blend of indie rock and britpop influences. The album contains standout tracks like 'A Thousand Trees' and 'Local Boy In The Photograph,' showcasing a strong, promising start for the Welsh band. Although comparisons to The Who and Oasis were common, Stereophonics carved their own successful path. This debut is highly recommended for those exploring 90s British rock.Tracklist Lyrics
Stereophonics
Stereophonics are a Welsh rock band fronted by Kelly Jones, known for hook-heavy British rock and Jones’ distinctive raspy vocal style.23 Reviews
Other reviews
By roman-candle
SINCERE! A virtue that in today’s music circuit is a rarity.
‘WORD GETS AROUND’... an album that now belongs to the past and that when judging now, certainly makes some coy passages, despite this, for me, it remains there: a dormant backache, that on cold nights returns to surface.
