Language. Sex. Violence. Other?

Stereophonics have been on a years-long quest to attract a substantial U.S. audience. With their sixth and strongest album, the Welsh trio could be on their way to attaining that goal. While gathering a small, loyal, American fan base, Stereophonics have received little-to-no stateside radio airplay, partly due to a sound deemed by critics as "too British" on their first three releases, and then "too American" on their following two. Fortunately, Language. Sex. Violence. Other? mines ambitious new territory while still retaining the raspy-voiced storytelling of singer/guitarist Kelly Jones. This new era entails a signature, big-stadium sound that contains some amazing moments. The album title borrows from the classification code used on the backs of DVDs, and its blunt display instantly pulls listeners toward Stereophonics' nonchalant chutzpah.

Argentinean-born Javier Weyler, who replaced founding drummer Stuart Cable in 2004, is a great fit with Stereophonics' wicked yet sensitive personality. Songs such as the smoldering bass funk of Brother, the crunchy drop-kick of Girl, and the glossy guitar hooks of Dakota find Stereophonics' second coming to be a convincing one. Jones' signature vocal grit saunters around the bravado of Superman and slow wax of Pedalpusher particularly well. Highlights here include the piano-to-guitar transition in Devil, the Kraftwerk-esque guitar styles in Dakota and the guitar/drum buildup in Rewind. While "Language. Sex. Violence. Other?" is a first-class new direction for Stereophonics, longtime fans can easily embrace moments reminiscent of their past singles. But those fans should brace for a new batch of converts.

Language. Sex. Violence. Other? is an excellent modern rock record. Dense, intelligent, user-unfriendly and challenging, its sparse artwork and one-word titles give it the feel of an early Factory release. There’s no gentle easing-in, either. Language... finds the Stereophonics sexy, angry, hungry, focused and (generally) intelligent. This is the studio record they've been dying to make. While their previous four albums all showcased great moments, Stereophonics never fully realized their full-throttled power until Language. Sex. Violence. Other? Stereophonics could not have nailed it any better. Vocalist Kelly Jones and bassist Richard Jones have never sounded brasher. The punk-inspired spark that made their 1997 debut, Word Gets Around, so impressive is rekindled.