Stereophonics - Scream Above the Sounds
Cream above the wounds
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2017
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11
Is it still possible to do good rock n’ roll in the 2010s? The answer is yes.
Just swallow Stereophonics’ last album to be convinced.
I was hesitating to present you these Welshmen, so well known in the UK, maybe in North America too. Multi-nominated at BRIT Awards, the band now celebrates its 25 years, with 10 studio albums in 20 years, and openings for big names (U2, Lenny Kravitz, David Bowie, Rolling Stones).
There also was a duo in 1999 between singer Kelly Jones and Dolly one of the French rock flowers at that time – of which remains today as solo the singer Manu.
But let’s see what brings this new wolf-headed opus.
So rock, like they know how well to do. Electric rock, obviously based on the trinity guitar-bass-drums. Classic rock ("Cryin' in Your Beer") and energetic rock ("Taken a Tumble"), that Bryan Adams could be jealous of. I remember Manic Street Preachers too, the other big Welsh rock band that’s worth the detour.
The arrangements are from our era: distorted voice sometimes (using a vocoder?), little piano touch, backing vocals and big sounding (American style).
"Chances Are": the singing is linear on 2 chords (except the breaks), but carefully listen to everything happening behind (rhythm, electric guitar riffs, progressive accumulation, synth layers, the mini solo, the claps...), it’s fabulous and ultra-powerful!
If the tempo slows down, if they attempt more pop things ("Would You Believe?") or ballads ("Before Anyone Knew our Name"), I say to myself they might not be the best ones to play that. Yet the tune can sometimes stays in mind and save the day ("All in One Night", with the same phrasing as old single "Indian Summer") – when not Gavin Fitzjohn’s trumpet ("What's all the Fuss About?")
But where they are especially strong is in crushed binary rhythmics ("Geronimo", "Chances Are"...)
The lyrics tell stories. The one of support to a lonely girl going give birth in the middle of the night ("All in One Night"), the memory of their deceased drummer ("Before Anyone Knew our Name"), nostalgia of childhood ("Boy on a Bike"). The album title itself, Scream Above the Sounds, calls you to get out of all this background noise and all this over-information.
Above average then, are these guys going to do good rock n’ roll in the 2020s? The answer is yes, no doubt about it.
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Length is rather appropriately used, letting music express itself, with a Spanish guitar (final de "What's all the Fuss About?"), with an unleashed piano and a squeaking sax ("Geronimo"), even though it repeats itself a tad too much ("All in One Night"). "Boy on a Bike" is the shortest with its 2:17. Fine.
Many of the 11 tracks clearly jump over 4 minutes, which gives you an already long album (46:29). And if it wasn’t enough, the fans will be regaled with a Deluxe edition with 5 extras! 3 unreleased songs which stayed in the pipeline for more or less time (let’s notice "Drive a Thousand Miles" which reminds me of Kodaline) + 2 pleasant unplugged versions. As I previously said, this isn’t the genre they excel in, but they prove at least, one more time, that a good song will always remain a good song, whatever the dressing. -
Chances Are
All in One Night
Geronimo -
Would You Believe?
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The sentence
“I can't control the man with the guns, like I can't stop the rain or I can't stop the dark” ("Boy on a Bike")
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them
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...And now, listen!
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Created29 July 2018
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