THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Make ‘em Laugh, Make ‘em Cry, Make ‘em Wait is the 13th studio album from Stereophonics. A tight, heavy-hitting eight-track record written and recorded in London, it is an album devoid of any fat or filler. It is at once clean and precise. Hopeful and joyous. It does what it says on the cover.
As with previous albums, singer-guitarist Kelly Jones has gravitated towards different artforms to influence the project’s aesthetic, whether that be paintings, books or films. “I went to New York, I visited some galleries, I saw Art Is A Guaranty Of Sanity, a painting by Louise Bourgeois,” he says. “She believed art was a form of mental healing and a way to process difficult emotions. The spelling caught me first, then the simplicity of the words etched onto a pink tile. So I tried scratching my title, inspired by my own art school teacher thirty years ago. And I loved it. I loved the simplicity of the pink. The pink album was born.”
The first single There’s Always Gonna Be Something finds Stereophonics’ signature sound evolving. Chorus-affected guitars chime and weave between suspended bass lines. Jones’ husky vocals draw listeners to the lyrics which intrigue and unveil new depths on each listen, with lines including “The bayonet tongue of silence, whispering just to remind us” and “I leave nothing for death but bones and the solitude Jester jokes, igniting my energy and bringing me to my knees, in this 21st century, so help this sinner please, this is only one part of me.”
“There’s Always Gonna Be Something” is a song that could be describing the restlessness in uncertainty, struggling to arrive at acceptance,” Jones says. “A part within all of us.”
With three decades and a wealth of record-breaking achievements under their belts, including eight No. 1 albums, Stereophonics have earned their status and respect amongst their fans, peers and artists from across the musical generations, ranging from Bob Dylan to David Bowie to Dua Lipa. With a world tour imminent, they continue to cement their position as one of our most enduring and loved bands. Their knack for blending rock sensibilities with soaring melodies keeps their sound vital, while Jones’ introspective lyrics continue to resonate with each passing year. Stereophonics have never been content to rest on their laurels.”
