Adore is the fourth album from Billy Corgan and his Pumpkins, but don't expect another Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness, or anything remotely similar to previous releases. On Adore Billy Corgan has stripped the Smashing Pumpkins bare. For many rock bands releasing an album where the songs haven't the luxury of layers of guitars to cover any shortcomings could be disastrous, but Corgan has never been found wanting as a songwriter and the songs on Adore revel in the breathing space afforded them.

Sadly for those Smashing Pumpkins fans who insist on wall to wall guitars, on Adore they are often conspicuous by their absence. Ava Adore & Appels + Oranjes could almost qualify for a previous Pumpkins release, Tear has a kind of slow grind build up, with an operatic tempo. The rest of Adore however is more likely to find piano than guitar leading the songs. To Sheila, For Martha & Blank Page are all beautiful piano ballads so quiet Billy Corgan could almost be singing unaccompanied. Perfect is proof that Corgan can write catchy pop songs. Once Upon A Time & Crestfallen are amongst the other tracks, which display the mastery of beguiling melodies and harmonies, much in evidence on Adore.

Adore is a definite break with the past for the Smashing Pumpkins, but you just know Billy Corgan is capable of writing another Gish or Siamese Dream or whatever, if or when the time feels right. Air guitarists may be disappointed with the new quieter Pumpkins, but Corgan is a talented enough writer to do justice to whatever musical style he tries as demonstrated by Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness' classical title track. Adore proves that the Smashing Pumpkins don't need a guitar orgy to sound great.

Word Gets Around was Stereophonics debut album released in 1997, receiving rave reviews but little commercial success until Local Boy In The Photograph was released as a single. Since then there have been more hit singles and their second album Performance and Cocktails is proving to be a huge success.

So how does Word Gets Around compare with their latest release. The answer is very favourably indeed, in fact were it not for the insular nature of the lyrics on Word Gets Around in comparison with the more worldly tone of Performance And Cocktails, it would be difficult to guess which was the debut album. The trademark guitar onslaught, extremely hummable melodies and Kerry Jones gruff singing are all present. From the opening surge of A Thousand Trees on, Word Gets Around doesn't pause for breath.

Too Many Sandwiches, Check My Eyelids For Holes & Same Size Feet all display the Stereophonics ability to write catchy tunes that have more kick than an agitated donkey. Traffic & Billy Davey's Daughter show their not afraid of stripping their sound bare and More Life In A Tramp's Vest & Last Of The Big Time Drinkers, show not only a liking for unwieldy song titles, but also that Kerry Jones is capable of singing with tongue firmly in cheek.

If you already own and like Performance And Cocktails, then buy Word Gets Around, you won't be disappointed. If you don't own Performance And Cocktails then save time and buy both albums.

On this showing it seems nobody bothered telling Stereophonics about the "difficult" second album. Having arrived with the superb Word Gets Around Stereophonics keep the momentum building with the equally brilliant Performance and Cocktails.

Stereophonics never stopped writing songs while promoting their first album with most of this album written while on the road, hence the sound and feel of both albums is similar. It's the lyrical content that shows the most marked difference.

Roll Up And Shine & Pick A Part That's New are strongly influenced by being away from home and the expierences gained during extensive touring. Just looking & Half The Lies You Tell Ain't True seem to find Kelly Jones in reflective mood wondering what its all about and whether its worth it. The Bartender And The Thief is all guitars, a perfect mosh pit pop song with lyrics which are dubious to say the least. She Takes Her Clothes Off is an older song which has been slowed down and turns out to be one of the album's outstanding tracks, a sad story and a magnificent song. The final track I Stopped To Fill My Car Up is a spooky song just for the fun of it, maybe to remind us not to take the lyrics too seriously.

The most consistent theme throughout the tracks already mentioned and the rest of the songs on the album is the outstanding music. Whether its songs with an acoustic feel like A Minute Longer or the guitar laden Half The Lies You Tell Ain't True the Stereophonics have produced an album which fuses guitars and sublime melodies, creating a masterpiece of guitar pop.