V2. / Bmg
2001
Just Enough Education To Perform
About This Album
Prior to releasing their third effort, Stereophonics endured brief controversy under the album's title, Just Enough Education to Perform. Already having dealt with the critics' views of this being a country or acoustic record, frontman Kelly Jones wanted the album to go by the abbreviation of J.E.E.P., which captures the band's opinions of the music industry. Of course, politics played the game and Daimler-Chrysler objected to the use, claming copyright and usage of the word "Jeep." Despite the media drama, Jones isn't entirely disenchanted on Just Enough Education to Perform and the album isn't heavy with needle acoustics or twangy licks either. It's another glassy cast of rock & roll rawness (with slight acoustics) that's made them indie darlings since their inception in the mid-'90s. Performance and Cocktails (1999) was more abrasive with Jones' signature scratchy vocals, and the rough poetics on 1997's Word Gets Around were impressive; however, Just Enough Education to Perform illustrates a more mature Stereophonics. It's a monolith of 11 detailed narratives, each playing with areas of soul, aggro rock, and moody pop/rock. The band from Cwmaman, Wales is trying to be more comfortable with the gradual process of feeling out their own place.
Track List (try tracks 1,2,3 and 5)

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