Stereophonics - 'Have A Nice Day' (V2)
2/5
By: Toby L
'Aww, how pleasant,' will be the sickly reaction for many after hearing this burst of flower-power 'happiness' as it floods your stereo. And, bearing in mind that it's been written by the Stereophonics, that's when you're likely to feel disappointed.
Despite what many have said, this Welsh trio have always managed to pen tunes of both an anthemic and often arm-aloft quality. However, where superb singles such as 'The Bartender & The Thief' or even the recent, majestic 'Mr Writer' left off, 'Have A Nice Day' plods along dressed up as a song that could have been written by Del Amitri. This in itself isn't too bad if you like such music of the sort, but from a band that have delivered a back catalogue so full of panache and edge, this isn't in the same league.
Maybe much of the downbeat material on current record 'Just Enough Education To Perform' has been formed as a pre-cursor to a pre-planned 'return to form' rock classic. After all, Kelly, Richard and Stuart probably know that there's a lot of coverage to be found in bands that 're-discover themselves' after producing a less critically-acclaimed album, 'J.E.E.P' having not been welcomed into the press world with open arms. This view could be a tad cynical, but rockfeedback may not be surprised if the fourth 'Phonics LP harps back to the brashness and raring-to-go quality of old...
Radio Two has overtaken Radio One - the latter bearing a generally more alternative output - in the listener-stakes, and no doubt this release will see itself rocketing to the top of Terry Wogan's faves of 2001 list. Sad; is this what the boys would have surely wanted?
Artists in this article: Stereophonics
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