This album the band have found a way to answer all these queries and more, more than effectively. Comparisons with the first album are inevitable, but the general feel is that the "hard" tracks are heavier, and the light tracks lighter. Variation of sizeable proportion is illustrated by the singles so far, "The Bartender and the Thief" has the second most guitar on the album, only upstaged by the opening song "Roll Up and Shine", complements of U2 circa mid 80's. Despite this it still sounds fresh, and all the comparisons comparing Kelly Jones' voice to Bryan Adams seem to be founded in this opening song. Meanwhile "Just Looking" is a mellow song about, simply, wondering until it bursts into the chorus. I'm informed that this song owes a lot to Radiohead's "Street Spirit", but then again, what rock song nowadays doesn't? (erm...most of them? - HeadCleaner) Methinks this was only released as a single because it's on the soundtrack to some film.

If we must make comparisons, "Just Looking" is the "Traffic" and "Goldfish Bowl" of the second album, "Plastic California" is the "Same Size Feet" and "I Stopped to Fill My Car Up" is "Billy Davey's Daughter" minus the guitar.

"She Takes Her Clothes Off" reminds us all of someone we know. You know, the kind of 40+ year old tart who thinks she's still 20, has a toy-boy for every day of the week and dresses in skirts so short you can see her cellulite arse. "Plastic California" suggests that California feels it is second-rate to Hollywood, and Kelly obviously feels it is out-dated - "Plastic California / Looks like Blackpool out of date...". This is an outstanding track and is destined to become a live favourite.

The next single from the album will be "Pick a Part That's New". This is certain to be the band's "Wonderwall" and will stay in the top 5 for ages. It's a guaranteed toe-tapper if ever there was one. This is also mirrored by "I Wouldn't Believe Your Radio", a song apparently, coming from a dream Kelly had about Ringo and George Harrison playing the tune to him. It really is Beatles through and through, and is a welcome refresher from all the guitars in the album. Sometimes you just need a couple of minutes break! However the album then hits the big guitar trail again with "T-Shirt Suntan". A certain single if ever there was, it's a typical Stereo's romp-along with no fancy guitar solo's, just plain old-fashioned rock. Innovative or not, it sounds great.

"Is Yesterday, Tomorrow, Today?" slows the album down once more, being the lyrical masterpiece on the album - "It's another way to get through the day / picking up ripped cigarette boxes hoping that one remains"

"Hurry Up and Wait" and "A Minute Longer" are the rock ballads. Irrelevant lyrics perhaps, but there's some meaning in there somewhere. A lot of lazy journalists have just written about lyrics meaning nothing and Kelly sounding like Rod Stewart. Let me tell you - they haven't listened to the album. Admittedly some of the songs sound like U2, but nothing on this album resembles Bon Jovi, Radiohead, Rod Stewart, the Manics, Oasis and all those other tediously obvious comparisons. The Stereophonics are a talent in their own right, and like it or not - they're here to stay for a good while yet.

Guy Walsh