Stereophonics — Language. Sex. Violence. Other?

We're more than halfway through the first decade of the 2000s, which is why it's maddening (and saddening) that the fifth Stereophonics record sounds like it was made in the 1990s. Not that it was a bad time, but Achtung Baby-era U2 and mid-career Stone Temple Pilots were hardly the decade's high points, so it's a head scratcher why Language. Sex. Violence. Other? bothers so much to sound like it. Kelly Jones' sand-papered voice is filtered through sleek reverb, while guitars cop fuzzed-out licks from The Edge. Without Bono and co.'s knack for writing anthems though, the 'Phonics are pretty much just stuck in the ‘90s.

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