Word Gets Around

The Welsh trio's debut album containing the singles 'Local Boy In The Photograph' and 'More Life In A Tramp's Vest'. This album is made up of short, sharp melodic anthems with the band sticking to a more poppier sound for the most part, though deviating to the occasional ballad (e.g 'A Thousand Trees'). This radio friendly debut led to the band gaining a BRIT for best new band.

Q (10/01, p.50)
- Ranked #37 in Q's "Best 50 Albums of Q's Lifetime"

Q (1/98, p.114)
- Included in Q Magazine's "50 Best Albums of 1997."

Melody Maker (12/20-27/97, pp.66-67)
- Ranked #25 on Melody Maker's list of 1997's "Albums Of The Year."

Melody Maker (9/6/97, p.42)
- "...reliably guitar-laden tunes bomb along happily, their churny meaty sound is offset by Kelly Jones' jittery words....Grim, yes. but bearing it well."

NME (8/23/97, p.55)
- "...much in the same way The Smiths signposted Manchester, the 'Phonics catalogue a series of suicides, sexual assaults and glorious dreams collapsing beneath the weight of boozing sessions and emotionally bruising occasions..."