Product Description

Multi-million-selling second album by Welsh pub rockers, moving away from the Britpop feel of their debut 'Word Gets Around' towards a more trad-rock sound. Solid rhythms, raw guitar work and Kelly Jones's powerful, Rod Stewart-esque vocals helped make hits of the singles 'The Bartender And The Thief', 'Just Looking' and 'Pick A Part That's New'.

Track Listing

1. Roll Up And Shine
2. Bartender And The Thief
3. Hurry Up And Wait
4. Pick A Part That's New
5. Just Looking
6. Half The Lies You Tell Me Ain't True
7. I Wouldn't Believe Your Radio
8. T Shirt Sun Tan
9. Is Yesterday Tomorrow Today
10. Minute Longer
11. She Take Her Clothes Off
12. Plastic California
13. I Stopped To Fill My Car Up

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #740 in Music
• Released on: 1999-03-08
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
There are three themes to Performance And Cocktails: slow, a bit faster and "hey, let's make a noise for a bit". The former, as heard on "Hurry Up And Wait", start off by making you feel like curling up into a little ball and wallowing, but too much repetition could get wearing, which is why the mid-tempo tunes fill the gaps in the middle with the prettier tunes, like "Just Looking". Yet it's the faster tracks, particularly "The Bartender And The Thief", that hold the most interest. Here, the band can pull themselves out of the mire and show off why they love AC/DC so much--because it's more fun bouncing around a bit than complaining all the time. Performance And Cocktails covers all bases so thoroughly that it's not surprising it catapulted the Stereophonics into the mainstream. --Emma Johnston

From Amazon.com
Stereophonics have evolved remarkably since they were a Welsh covers band who once prided themselves on the authenticity of their Jimi Hendrix set. Though that 1960s influence is muted on the follow-up to their million-selling debut, Word Gets Around, there are enough hard riffs and vocal shred on the power trio's sophomore outing to evoke more contemporary Seattle comparisons. His band's whirlwind success has informed singer-songwriter Kelly Jones's lyrics and vocal persona with some refreshingly wide-eyed cynicism to season his band's hard-edged pop bent. Though they evoke comparisons to everyone from the Faces to Alice in Chains, Stereophonics are clearly carving their own niche, especially on the infectious "She Take Her Clothes Off," the acoustic-rooted "I Wouldn't Believe Your Radio," the raucous opener "Roll Up and Shine," and "A Minute Longer." Like many ambitious young musicians before them, Jones and company have written about the world they've seen from the back of a bar, a tour bus window, and through TV's jaundiced filter; it's the grace, wit, and humanity of those observations that sets them apart from their Brit-pop peers and forecasts even greater things to come. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

on the slide
i grew up in the next village to these boys and 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 , and then the rot set in. this album no longer is filled with creative lyrics and must listen to riffs,other than bartender and takes clothes off. this is just dross and fluff for fans who know no better to listen to and 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
This has got to be the best ever album the Stereophonics have released by far and its also one of the best rock albums of all time!
The singles alone are first class - Bartender and the thief, Pick a part thats new, Just looking, I wouldnt believe your radio and Hurry up and wait
but the rest of the tracks are equally as stunning - I stoped to fill my car up, Is yesterday tomorrow today, Roll up and shine and 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.
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 and Shine' Is made up of a great riff and 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 and every song manages to sound natural and footloose aswell as being worked upon and perfected. 'Just Looking' will live on as a classic and 'I Stopped to Fill My Car Up' is still one of the most interesting and uplifting songs i have ever heard. A crucial part of my stereophonics collection.