Nobody???s still holding out for another "Local Boy in the Photograph", are they? No? Of course not. Enough time has passed since likeable tousle-haired drummer Stuart Cable was fired, marking the final stage of The Stereophonics??? transition from genial close-knit mates from the Welsh valleys with rough hands, big hearts and a selection of long, short and tall tales, to a vehicle for Kelly Jones??? sunglasses-sporting ego alone. They have thrown in a few surprises since then, namely the driving electric-pop gem "Dakota", but Pull the Pin is not one of those. Assuring or re-establishing an identity of their own seems to have been sidelined in favour of arena-shaped common or garden lighters-aloft mimicry. It might please some that "It Means Nothing" and "Stone" fall somewhere in between Snow Patrol and Robbie Williams slow-burners, or that "Pass the Buck" sounds like The Hives on downers, and "My Friends" and "Lady Luck" do have some steady energy to them, but these are really just sketches and outlines of songs. He???s still clearly searching for a star in the sidewalk next to Aerosmith or Led Zeppelin and he can construct rock hard shells aplenty, but the songs remain almost uniformly soft to their cores. And the album betrays its very title too--nothing particularly explosive here. Well, no more than a Bon Jovi ballad. --James Berry

This is the best album of 2007 its a really good one well worth the money

I love this band, partly because each of their albums is so different and they constantly evolve and yet remain unmistakably the 'Phonics. Word Gets Around and Performance & Cocktails have been their best albums for a long time...until now. Pull the Pin is right up there. Having not heard any of the songs (yes, I live under a rock) beforehand, I was a bit worried about ordering this album after LSVO? (Dakota was really the only good song on that very lazy album). I needn't have worried...I loved Pull the Pin on the first listen.

Yes, it's sad that Stuart got sacked, but Javier is a lightyears more talented drummer...he's excellent and really drives the music whilst throwing in some killer whatever-drumming-bits-are-called (are they riffs, or is that just guitarspeak?). Kelly's voice is as hot as ever...that crescendo at the end of It Means Nothing is phenomenal. Daisy Lane is beautiful. All the songs are great.

This is a great album by a great band. If you buy it and are disappointed, you're a weirdo! :)

Love this album,it's just a shame that bands like this dont get played on the radio any more (apart from the lead single) It's the same for Travis,Manics,Supergrass,Shed seven etc,they'd rather play American r & b & not play talent from this side of the pond.Anyway Bank Holiday Monday should be a single,and can we have a greatest hits after that,please,come on guys,you've had enough hits,the same goes for Muse...and fans of Stuart Cable should know he has his own show on Kerrang radio at 10am,weekdays which is "Guess the year" Even some old Stereophonics tracks get played.Quality.

After 5 previous albums, you would think this band may loose it's touch, however with new and vintge material they should be hailed as Gods once again.
With a heavy, provocative opening song-"Soldies make good targets" the Welsh rockers instantly grip you and then carry this on with the powerful"Pass the Buck". "It means nothing" and "Daisy Lane" too are quailty tunes; separated by the fast, Vintage Kelly Jones-"Bank Holiday Monday". The second half of the album then continues with a relationship theme, with tracks such as "Stone","I could lose ya" and "Crush" not forgetting another quality tune-"Friends".
This is no doubt some of Stereophonic's best work, carrying on ater the slighty repetitive LVSO and the change in style of YGGTTGB and JEEP.
It looks as if they are back to their intitial formula that powered their two greatest albums-"Word gets around" and "Performance and Cocktails". (Lets all just hope they release a live album again).
You may ask we i have knocked off a star, it's quite simple, the last few songs become repetive with the same style and rythms however the final track "Drowning" is a fantastic ending to a great album. Lets just sit and wait for the next installment from the Welsh rockers.

Who said Rock is dead ???!! If you think this album does not ROCK then what were you listening to ! Im not sure what some people were expecting from a Stereophonics album honestly. I honestly thought this was an all round superb album that's got plenty of energy in it, somewhat similar in some cases to early Oasis. Kelly's great voice over those hard guitar riff's.. Great stuff.