There's a new Stereophonics album out. It is called Oochya! It won't get that much attention. No one has been waiting for a new Stereophonics album. Except perhaps for Sterophonics fans. It sounds exactly, but exactly like old Stereophonics records. Never mind. I'm at a loose end. I'll review it here.
Originally a trio, formed in their hometown Cwmamon in Wales in 1992, they broke big at the end of the decade. Their sound is best described as the 'Meat & Potatoes' one that Oasis created an enormous market space for. Never really my thing but it defined a place and time. Certainly the UK from about 1997 until 2000 until The Strokes turned up with a slightly more promising vision for young bands playing guitars.At least to my ears.
Stereophonics kept shifting records for a few more years after this. They had a pretty good run all told. They sold over ten million during their long career. They have their own tale of tragedy, Original drummer Stuart Cable died a few years after being sacked from the band in 2010, in very sad circumstances which left scars that will surely last forever for Kelly and Richard Jones, (original bassist, no relation).
Nothing the band has ever done has excited me hugely and the same goes for Oochya! It's still meat and potatoe fare. Clearly heartfelt and competent. Jones has always had a good voice and that's still the case. There's a touching track on here, (Right Place, Right Time) where Jones tells the band's story in slightly cliched terms and pays tribute to the love of his life and clearly put him back on the rails when he was in danger of coming off them once and for all.
Apart from that, it's another Stereophonics record, sounding first and foremost like a Stereophonics album, which is probably exactly what their fans want. I'm not going to knock it even though I have no intention of ever listening to the record again.
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