Review: Stereophonics - Graffiti on the Train

Originally published on www.soundblab.com

Being Welsh I was brought up on the likes of Stereophonics, Manic Street Preachers and Catatonia. So when I found out the 'Phonics were releasing their first album in nearly four years, the biggest gap between any of their album releases, I was pretty excited. As a massive fan, I was a bit dubious about listening to the album at first because, let's be honest, the first two singles from the album, 'Indian Summer' and the title track, didn't exactly set the charts alight. Also, you can pretty much guess what the album sounds like as they've been around for ages. You know what to expect.

Of course, album number eight doesn't buck this assumption, but with Kelly Jones' vocals sounding as strong and gravelly as ever, coupled with their mix of sadness and upbeat melancholy, the record isn't entirely rubbish. Despite the first two singles bombing, there are some really good tracks on the album, such as 'Catacomb', 'Roll the Dice' and 'We Share the Same Sun', which try to recapture the best of the 'Phonics back-catalogue. However, this is counteracted by some pretty Goddamn awful tracks, like 'Take Me' and 'Violins and Tambourines', which are just dribbling messes of moping and tedium.

Although the album isn't the best one they've made, it is something you can listen to and enjoy. The band mix it up between complete depression, happy-yet-sad songs and angst-ridden, guitar-driven tracks. The vocals from Kelly are the highpoint but there isn't a stand out song at all, which is disappointing. Overall, an alright listen.

Review: Placebo - B3

Originally posted on www.soundblab.com

It has been three years since Placebo last released a new album and over a year since their last EP. However, unlike the last one, which was a recording of a live performance, the B3 EP is a collection of five new songs to help you get excited about the next album.

With a slated release date of March 2013 for the new record, this EP gives you an idea of the direction the band are going, which seems a little different/experimental, and it appears that this will be the case on the next album as all five tracks here are completely different, in a good way.

We obviously have the heavy drums and guitars that Placebo have become well known for, coupled with Brian Molko's angst-ridden vocals, which still sound exactly the same as they did over a decade ago - quite some feat I must say. Thrown into the mix of angst, guitars and drums, we have a few synth sounds which almost make me think of space, but that's probably just because I've recently embraced my inner sci-fi geek.

The album has two tracks that stand out from the others: 'The Extra', which is slow, upbeat and rocky all at the same time, and sounds like some of their older stuff but also fresh and new. The other stand-out is the last song on the EP, 'B3', which starts with some synths before the guitars and drums burst in, giving us a blast from the past when it comes to the band - yet it doesn't get boring.

Track number two, 'Time is Money', is the only song which doesn't quite match up to the rest of them. At just over seven-minutes-long, it gets a little repetitive and boring, almost bordering on overly mopey. But I can look past that given the quality of the other songs.

With all five tracks having a different sound and feeling a little experimental, it will be very interesting to see how the next album turns out. If this EP is anything to go by, Placebo fans should be in for a treat in the new year.