Pull the Pin

Desperate rockers Stereophonics

The Welsh trio Stereophonics seems to have finally found its niche on the world rock stage. The ace of trumps of its works including the 2005 studio album Language. Sex. Violence. Other? that has conquered everybody and the last year's live collection Live From Dakota, has become the powerful sound that is absolutely perfect for the stadium concerts. The band has never actually been fond of arrangements therefore the material of its new albums has been always apprehended exactly as a live performance. That is what the new album Pull The Pin that has seen the light of the day this autumn has proved to be like. Besides, Stereophonics have once again outshone themselves, for the music on Pull The Pin is several times more powerful than the most part of modern rock creations, and the lyrics of the tracks are more topical, simplistic and direct than ever. Unpredictable and sullen the new record of the desperate rockers has all the chances to become the best rock release of the year.

Pull The Pin makes you feel at a stadium

Listening to Pull The Pin one automatically imagines being at the stadium, surrounded by screaming crowd scanning the names of the Stereophonics participants, that strong an impression makes the musicians' performance. The album opens with the sound of a news report and sirens followed by a most powerful riff lately heard in rock music, which is track Soldiers Make Good Targets. A bit lighter composition Pass The Buck is the catchiest song on the album, and the lead single It Means Nothing is sure to become one of your favorite songs this season, it is a ballad devoted to the terrorist acts in London with very deep philosophic lyrics. The guitars remind of Oasis a bit on a more up tempo track Bank Holiday Monday, whereas Daisy Lane is a very emotional song of the dangers in the streets and one of the most successful vocal performance here. An impressive composition Stone, a little more easy-going My Friends, and I Could Lose Ya with its contagious instrumentation all conquer with the distinct melodies and hard guitars. Bright Red Star is an acoustic ballad contrasting with the tough rasp of Ladyluck, the most pessimistic and sullen song on the record. Powerful Crush will leave nobody indifferent and make one sing along, and the album's closer is the longest song here Drowining, that serves a kind of climax: it is a slow and drawling composition that gradually turns into a splendid rock ballad, full of hopelessness and despair.

Emotional, furious and hard album

The new album claims in a dare and unbelievably loud manner that there is no such force that could stop the impetuous performers such as Stereophonics. Its music deafens, conquers and spellbinds at the same time making the listeners at times resent and at times give a smile. None of the songs on Pull The Pin deserves being skipped as each of them has a special message to render. Those who are not yet acquainted with the works of Stereophonics should also listen to the band's earlier works because the new album is the heaviest and to some extent the most aggressive of the trio creations. The trick to Pull The Pin is that even if you have never been especially interested in rock music having listened to the album you are sure to be know exactly what sounds the real rockers are able to get from guitars and a drum set, and how all of it combines with the powerful vocals. Evidently the second breath is opened for Stereophonics and it is worth while hoping that the next album is the same emotional, furious and hard as Pull The Pin.