Stereophonics – Decade in the Sun: Best of Stereophonics (2008)

I definitely don't always remember where I've bought a certain CD or vinyl album I own, but there are some albums where I clearly remember when and where I bought them. Usually, those albums I've bought from abroad on one of my travels. Those albums bought as souveniers remind me of those trips years later. I bought this Stereophonics compilation CD in 2009 in Hong Kong. I was there on a trip with my friends from my university. We stumbled across a record shop and went in. The CDs in that shop were very different to the CDs I had normally seen in Finland. They were packed in thick cardboard cases that were all in all more presentable and bigger. This particular CD was in a beautiful wooden case that has cardboard covers with album pictures on it. The CDs were very cheap compared to Finland as well, but the cases alone proofed they were authentic Chinese versions of the albums rather than pirate copies.

I got first introduced to Stereophonics by my ex-girlfriend around 2002. Stereophonics wasn't that well known in Finland around that time, but my girlfriend had spent a year in UK and there she had been introduced to quite a few bands. At first, I was a bit annoyed by the lead singer's overly raspy vocals, but I got used to them quite quickly and started to appreciate the songwriting. Stereophonics had only released three albums by that time and they were probably the best albums they would ever publish. When we broke up, I wanted to own some Stereophonics myself, but I wasn't too fond of individual albums, so a compilation seemed like a good idea. Since then, I've actually bought a at least one of Stereophonics' proper albums.

The album starts with synth sounds in a classic 00's indie-style song Dakota. I remember a friend of mine point this song out to me years after I had started listening to Stereophonics, but I hadn't heard it since it was from the later albums. It has great explosive power. The Bartender and the Thief is from my favourite Stereophonics album. It has that kind of raw rock power that is difficult to find in new albums. It's a perfect song for partying. Just Looking is a slower and more relaxed song that has quite mainstream production. Have a Nice Day was one of the biggest hit songs from the other album I heard first from the band. It's a nice feel-good song. Local Boy In the Photograph is a rock song that has very 90's style alternative rock sounds. The production is maybe a bit too clean for my taste. Maybe Tomorrow is one of the greatest songs of the later Stereophonics. I remember this song from the film Crash. Ever since I saw that film, I've really liked this song. Superman has very overly-produced rock sounds that remind me of more recent Muse songs. Definitely not one of my favourites. Pick a Part That's New is classic Stereophonics that has that care-free sunny feeling their albums had in the beginning. My Own Worst Enemy sounds exactly like Foo Fighters. I think I've mistaken this for Foo Fighters on a couple occasion when I've heard it somewhere. I Wouldn't Believe Your Radio is one of my favourite Stereophonics tracks. It has a very strong Britpop style. You're My Star is quite a cheesy newer song with over-the-top production that makes it sound a bit like Coldplay. Mr. Writer has some nice raunchy rock organs and a nice melancholic melody, where the vocals really work to their advantage. Step on My old Size Nines has some country vibes and acoustic authenticity in the sounds. Devil has some echoey and carefully produced rock sounds that are quite far from the 90's raw sounds of the band. A Thousand Trees is another very 90's style song where the instruments sound raw and authentic. Traffic is an acoustic song that really reminds me of later Oasis songs. More Life In a Tramps Vest is a great, very British, rock song that has some resemblance to The Libertines. The album ends with Stereophonics version of the classic song Handbags and Gladrags that can for example be heard in the television series The Office.

The video for Dakota is a very classic rock music video. It features the band playing in a shaky camera with changing background (read: green screen), the vocalist riding a car while singing, and some scenes of remembering a lost love while the life goes on. 

Stereophonics may not be one of my favourite bands in the world, but I do really like their early music and some individual songs from the later career. Their music also reminds me of some of the important events in my life, which means that their music has made a mark in my life. Compilation albums are usually not that interesting, but in this case, I feel like owning a compilation album is a right choice for me as I'm more into individual songs of the band.

Listen to the album on Spotify.