Customer Reviews
on the slide - By: W. D. Cresswell, 20 Jul 2008 
i grew upin the next village to these boys & their first album is annd always will be,there on my top five must haves. like so many othere one-hit wonders,they have proved over the years that they peaked with the first absolutely magic album , & then the rot set in. this album no longer is filled with creative lyrics & must listen to riffs,other than bartender & takes clothes off. this is just dross & fluff for fans who know no better to listen to & pretend they love it. sorry boys , its time to let it go now before the real damage to your reputations is done.
Their best ever album by far - By: Raven, 01 Jul 2007 
This has got to be the best ever album the Stereophonics have released by far & its also one of the best rock albums of all time!
The singles alone are first class - Bartender & the thief, Pick a part thats new, Just looking, I wouldnt believe your radio & Hurry up & wait
but the rest of the tracks are equally as stunning - I stoped to fill my car up, Is yesterday tomorrow today, Roll up & shine &in my opinion the greatest 'Phonics track ever - T -shirt sun tan!
You must own this album if you love great music
Took my phonics virginity. - By: Mr. A. Galsworthy, 07 Aug 2006 My first Stereophonics album when i was about 14. Because of this i will always owe alot to this record but it is hard to pick a favourite because of listening to them all so much. The first track, 'Roll up & Shine' Is made up of a great riff & a very drag style (even by Kelly's standards). What i love about this album is when i am listening to it i feel the guys have enjoyed recording it & every song manages to sound natural & footloose aswell as being worked upon & perfected. 'Just Looking' will live on as a classic & 'I Stopped to Fill My Car Up' is still one of the most interesting & uplifting songs i have ever heard. A crucial part of my stereophonics collection.
Underperformance and Rocktales - By: , 01 Mar 2005 After the raw, small-town observations of "Word Gets Around", sincerely expressed & warmly crafted, the appearance of "Performance And Cocktails" heralded the 'Phonics slide into the lumpen, uninspiring & turgid songwriting which has sadly characterised each album release to date. We can only be thankful that "Peformance And Cocktails" sits at the top of the slide, edging nervously towards a frightful plunge, & therefore does contain one or two worthy moments. "The Bartender And The Thief" has a pub-rock catchiness, which infects the ears & refuses to let go, budging up & making room for itself next to "Hurry Up And Wait".
Hindsight is a wonderful thing & perhaps had it not signalled the end of the Stereophonics successful attempts to be vital & interesting, this album might not have seemed such a clumsy & routine affair. It contains more highlights than any of the collections which followed, but when the difference between highlight & highlights is one song, it's simply not enough.
What indie music should sound like - By: , 16 Apr 2004 This is aan album which annoys me to some extent. I listen to this, & I feel so disappointed with al the other stereophonics that i've heard - & before i heard this album i loved performance & cocktails & word gets around. This is quite simply brilliant, with a wonderful blend of styles & speeds that keeps the listener interested from the very beginning to the nostalgia evoking end of "i stopped to fill my car up". The palpable emotionin the slower tracks, particularly "is yesterday tomorrow today" - a track possessed of one of the best slow riffs ever - is so well balanced by the faster "bartender & the thief", "plastic california" & more. Kelly jones & co use the melodies so well, & the variationsin pace & melody are just exceptional. Oh, & if that wasn't enough, "just looking" is one of THE best ever tracks by any indie band. BUY THIS ALBUM!
