Stereophonics continue to show off their evergreen ability to produce relevant songs and exciting material in new album Kind.
Kelly Jones is easily THE most charismatic frontman to come out of Wales apart from Tom Jones and James Dean Bradfield and… well there sure is a lot of talent in Wales! Stereophonics have always had an extraordinary way with words and have always created the most extraordinary imagery with their lyrics. I remember playing the track Check my Eyelids for Holes over and over again some years back and never once grew tired of it.
Stereophonics’ music has a unique quality in the sense that as you listen and re-listen to their music you can find a different meaning and quality to each song, such is their multilayered talent for communication. I mean, any band that can come up with the title: More Life in a Tramp’s Vest and you know you are dealing with some extraordinary minds here. On Kind, the Welsh rockers still have their unique sense of humour amidst brilliant lines of social commentary. Hungover For You is about lost love; a theme that everyone can relate to which taps into a folk style that’s a bit of a departure for the band. This track is gorgeously sexy and bluesy with Kelly Jones pumping up his raspy acoustic talents to full captivating, well, sexiness, to be honest. That’s the best way I can describe it.
Bust This Town covers the theme of breaking free of small-town mentality. I’m reminded of Tracy Chapman’s smash hit Fast Car in tone and theme here. This track has hooks and riffs in abundance that will guarantee the band excessive airplay.
Don’t Let the Devil Take Another Day is another beautiful song covering that same theme of the need to escape. Kelly Jones manages to capture a vulnerability in his voice coupled with masculinity that’s a difficult balance to achieve. However, he achieves this and also manages clever wordplay and continued originality in his body of work that has excited fans for years.
Make Friends With the Morning has a gospel influence and is uplifting in contrast to so many of the frustrated and escapist songs on the album. Kelly Jones really is one of the top British songwriters. From the nineties till 2019 he keeps on creating new and excellent material. Kind continues that success and will please all fans old and new.
Score 4/5
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