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RR Listen: “Pull the Pin”

The Stereophonics have always been a powerful music force across the pond since their 1997 release, “Word Gets Around”, but it wasn’t until 2003 that they began to catch the ears of an American audience. With the release of their smooth-sounding, ballad-filled album “You Gotta Go there To Come Back”, many trendy American filmmakers opted to insert The Stereophonics groovy, retro-rock tracks into films such as Paul Haggis’ Crash and Paul McGuigan’s remake of L’Appartment, Wicker Park – thus introducing The Stereophonics to a whole new market of listeners.

Armed with an American fan-base, The Stereophonics took a stab at a more commercial sound with their 2005 release, “Language. Sex. Violence. Other?” The album was shunned by most fans as a cheap attempt to garner a larger fan-base through cheaping their sound to appease more commercial listeners. Although songs like “Superman” and “Dakota” proved to be hits with your casual listener, the overall tone of the album lacked the gritty sound many fans were used to and left many wondering if The Stereophonic of old would ever return.

Despite much skepticism, The Stereophonics newest release “Pull the Pin” comes through in fine form – perhaps proving to be The Stereophonics finest effort to date. Tracks like “Soilders Make Good Targets” and “Stone” couple past failures with elements that have made The Stereophonics a unique and successful sound for over a decade – showing off their ability to grow as artists – which they certainly have. For fans of the ballads that were so strong in “You Gotta Go there to Come Back”, The Stereophonics answer the call with new classics, “It Means Nothing” and Daisy Lane”.

“Pull the Pin” provides Stereophonics fans new and old with an original, melodic, ear-gasam that is unparalleled by any release as of late. “Pull the Pin” is not only a perfect mixture and showcase of The Stereophonics talents, but perhaps a preview of things to come…

“Pull the Pin is slated for US Release on October 8th 2007”.

Geoffrey A. Citron is a contributing writer for Details magazine.