Performance and Cocktails by Stereophonics

Pros: Um. No.
Cons: See title.

After miserably failing to connect with the Stereophonics on their third release, 1999’s Just Enough Education to Perform, I really should have taken the hint. Not that I purchased that album or the one I’m about to review (they were left to me ...

Pros: Hmmmm.. a few good tracks.
Cons: Very generic, boring, lazy etc etc

Just in case you were wondering, I was fairly naïve when I was younger. Much like the rest of the population actually – but what a sucker I was. Really. My first job involved being driven to obscenely obscure locations – most of which contained a ...

Pros: The first two songs
Cons: Nearly everything else on this record

Following the death of “Brit Pop” in 1997, the UK independent scene was plunged into a state of confusion. After enjoying an unexpected spell of immense popularity between ’94 and ‘96, indie bands came back down to earth with a bump when “Spice Mania”...

Pros: A great mix of heavy rockers and delicate ballads.
Cons: One or two dodgy cuts. Setlist badly formatted.

Performance And Cocktails is Welsh rockers' Stereophonics' second album, recorded under the pressure garnered from the commercial success of their brilliant debut Word Gets Around. If you're a fan of anything out of the ordinary, this is...

Pros: Excellent selections made from good rock, solid songwriting and musicianship
Cons: It may get popular - but at least people would be listening to good music

Let's face it - rock albums these days bite for the most part. Either you end up with something that's completely too weak, over-the-top stupid metal or God-forbid the urban-rock crossover that got worn out as soon as it got popular. It just seems too...

Pros: Almost as good as 'Word Gets Around' which is perfect.
Cons: Not quite perfect, but nearly.

'Why don't you take a look around?' Kelly growls on opening track 'Roll up and Shine'. The Stereophonics seemed to have done that. They have left small town Wales and spread their wings a little, but have left none of their trademark attributes behind....

Pros: Plenty of masterful anthemic rock
Cons: A couple of unexceptional tracks

After about fifteen seconds of guitar squealing and distortion, "Roll Up And Shine" explodes into life and announces the arrival of Stereophonics' second album. It is a great choice of opening track, a powerful, good old-fashioned rocker. It is followed...

Pros: Clever lyrics
Cons: Can be 'full on' on initial hearing

For me any Stereophonics album is a must buy.With songs like "The Bartender and the Thief","Just Looking" and "Pick a part that's new",the album has a solid sound,not too over the top as most rock bands are.
The lyrics...

Pros: Great "mad for it music" to listen to with friends
Cons: stops you studying or getting to sleep

After hearing "Tramps vest" and "A thousand trees" from the first album, I had to buy 'Performance and Cocktails' and I am glad that I did.

Whats in the album
While some of the songs are heavy rock (which I...

Pros: good music
Cons: some songs slightly weak

At last a rock album with some bite. It's not often one like this comes along. A marvelous follow-up to the quiter Word Gets Around (but not as good in my opinion). Anyway it was the perfect album to release at the time and has made the nation love the...