Stereophonics.
In the first half of 2021, Welsh band Stereophonics recorded their twelfth studio album at Ramsbury Brewery and Distillery. After the final mix, Stereophonics released three singles in succession, the first of which was Hanging On Your Hinges. This track is the opening track of Oochya! (untranslatable quotes expressing joy), which the band released in March 2022. It is a raucous, briskly-paced song with a good solo in the modulation. The album went to number one in the UK Album Chart, selling twenty-four thousand copies in its first week, one-sixth of which were on vinyl. Successively in November and January, two more singles, Do Ya Feel My Love and Forever were released followed by the official video. Stereophonics are a band who excel at live performances and are usually included as a highlight of one of the nights in the programme of many festivals, including Glastonbury for example. Stereophonics' music can be described as classic or traditional British rock with elements of alternative rock, Britrock or Post-Britpop. Band leader Kelly Jones, with his characteristic raspy exalted delivery, is able to imbue the songs with an appeal that is often above the meaning of the lyrics. To date, the most viewed Stereophonics tracks on YouTube are Maybe Tomorrow (2003, album You Gotta Go There To Come Back) and Dakota (2005, album Language. Sex. Violence. Other?) with many millions of views. Oochya! is a somewhat suspect album for its running time, which exceeds sixty-three minutes. The fifteen tracks show some unevenness in quality and drama. The balladic attempts, such as Every Dog Has Its Day, All I Have Is You and the Eagles-esque Seen That Look Before fail to convince and come across as a little clueless. Made a Mess Of Me sounds in the main theme like it was inspired by Alice Cooper years ago. Other tracks sound pleasant, unrehearsed and pleasant. These include, in addition to the aforementioned singles, Close Enough To Drive Home, Don't Know What You Got and the playful Jack In The Box. Welsh foursome of musicians Kelly Jones, Richard Jones, Adam Zindani and Jamie Morrison return to the stadium stages to support their latest project Oochya!. The Czech Republic is likely to miss out.