You Gotta Go There to Come Back [Enhanced] [Original recording reissued]

I am a huge Stereophonics fan so ofcourse I love their album... But I also have a very broad taste in music. That might be why I think this is the BEST album from the band. I have been a fan since 'Word Gets Around'. Ofcourse I loved their raw rock style on both WGA and P&C, and their small town lyrics. That is definitely one of Kellys strong points as a songwriter.

With that said. I would be really dissapointed with a repeat of WGA or P&C for every new album. Wouldn't you?

With the 'JEEP' album they did change their style. They've just carried that on to the 'You Gotta Go...' album.
Ofcourse they'll change. They're older, have seen a lot of the world. A whole lot of new experiences. They probably get influenced by new music like everyone else. That's why I don't like comparing new albums with old ones, not with any band or artist...

Some of my favorites on 'You Gotta Go...' is 'Maybe Tomorrow' wich I fell in love with the first time I heard it. 'Rainbows and Pots of Gold', there's just something about that song that touches me. 'I'm Alright' have the same feel to it.
'I Miss You Now' are one of my favorites. Could've been even better with more blues influenced piano I think. Maybe hired in Jools Holland for the piano part :) 'Nothing Precious at All' is more like the earlier Phonics lyrically. Where Kelly is making up a whole story about this girl working in the coffee shop. A bit like 'Traffic' really. I also like the rockier stuff like 'Madame Helga', 'High as the Ceiling' and 'Jealousy'. Great songs. 'Help Me (She's Out of Her Mind)' is a bit too long for me. It's an OK song but could have been shortened down a bit. There's not a song I don't like on the album. But we all have our favorites...

'Moviestar' is absolutely brilliant. Went crazy about it the first time I heard it. Showing even another new direction for the band.
Makes me look forward to their next album.

'You Gotta Go There...' is a very '70s influenced album with some modern touhces to it. And like the music critics always say. "It's all been done before." But haven't most of the music out there now been done before?

Stereophonics! People love them, people hate them, and some just don't care. Most of the music critics don't have much good to say about them... But overall does it really matter?
The band still have a lot of fans. Some new ones, some old ones. But they are one of the better rock bands out there and a killer live band!

And remember, everone can't have the same taste in music. How boring would that be...?

So I end this review by saying A GREAT ALBUM BY A GREAT BAND in my humble opinion :)

This is a very different album to Word gets Around, slower, more melancholy but with subtle touches that make it suberb. Almost every song builds up in some way, an extra instrument added in each verse, a slight change in tempo, or an extra tension in Kelly's voice.

Stand out tracks, for me at least, are Getaway, Jealousy, I'm Alright (Absolutely brilliant track, full of mood and emotion) and Since I told you its Over. The only downside to this album are the lyrics to some of the songs, they can make you cringe a little. "Sitting here playing with myself again/ It's turning me on" and "I'll make another pound for you/ so you can drive your motor car/ and drive you to the moon" and a few other examples. Not overwhelmingly bad, just not great to sing along to!

I bought this album when it came out, and whilst I haven't listened to it non stop, its certainly is one of the most played albums I own.

Dont get me wrong it is worth buying but if you had to buy
any phonics CD go for their first album word gets around.
this CD loses some of the phonics sound like in "just
looking" but it does hold the odd gem like i miss you now.