Originally published by the Saturday Star, 24 November 2007
Stereophonics
Pull the Pin
4/5
In a musical landscape that’s often lacking in quality rock ’n roll, Stereophonics release their sixth album and it’s packed with enough stadium anthems to fill, well… a stadium.
Pull the Pin sees Stereophonics tap into a wall-of-sound, classic rock style made popular by Oasis in their debut album. However, laced with intelligent poignant lyrics, aggressive guitar and Kelly Jones’s characteristic cool-as-ice growl the album should find a place among both younger and older audiences alike. As the title suggests, the album is hard-line in nature, it’s political, but not overtly so, and implying a listen should blow you away. Over guitars turned up to 11, Jones roars his way through the thought provoking opener Soldiers Make Good Targets. The debut single It Means Nothing addresses personal issues surround the July 7 terrorist attacks on London. Other topics addressed include usual rock fodder, ranging from excesses to love. Following their much acclaimed Language.Sex.Violence.Other release, this album is not quite as progressive yet after a few listens proves just as challenging. Ten years into their career, Pull the Pin is as relevant as anything this chart topping Brit-rock band have ever had to offer.
