Stereophonics Set To Release 'Keep Calm & Carry On' November 16; First Single Out November 9

Nettwerk Management artist Stereophonics return with their brand new studio album Keep Calm & Carry On, November 16th on Mercury Records – a sensational 12-track collection and the band’s seventh studio album. Their hook-laden lead single "Innocent" is released November 9th (check out the video above). 

Written by Kelly Jones and produced by Kelly and Mercury-Award winning producer Jim Abbiss (Arctic Monkeys and Kasabian), the new record is packed with 12 gems of intelligent, sharply crafted, melodic storytelling, which has taken the band in some surprising and extremely enjoyable new directions.

The record is stripped back without the walls of loud guitars, creating a space to drive home Kelly’s vocal while allowing the strength of the songs to come through - fused with Kelly’s bar-raising musical vision, Javier Weyler’s intense drumming, Adam Zindani’s cascading guitar lines and Richard Jones’ driving bass.

“We needed to up the bar a bit,” says Kelly. “Otherwise it was going to fritter away like it has done for a lot of the bands that were around at the same time as us. And I think we’re better than that.”

Keep Calm & Carry On, which is a message taken from a World War II propaganda poster, opens up with the 50s rock ‘n’ roller "She’s Alright" with a modern backbeat that goes all Led Zeppelin at the end.

This leads into the first single from the album "Innocent" out November 9th, a richly melodic, bittersweet gem. Kelly was inspired by his teenage memories on "Innocent" and enjoying those first experiences of freedom.

Lyrically, it is probably Kelly’s most cohesive set since Stereophonics’ debut - an album of struggle and resolution, finding the positive in the negative...from adjusting to the pace of modern life on "100 MPH" to empathising with the hard time everyone is facing on "Trouble." The zesty rocker "Live ‘n’ Love" mixes the record up and creates a change of pace and urgency.

“I love having one of them on here,” admits Kelly. “Big guitars, big drums, big anthem. It’s really exciting to play live.”

Keep Calm & Carry On will be available in the following formats:

CD
Gatefold LP
Deluxe CD/DVD featuring over 2 hours of footage including:
Keep Calm & Carry On – In The Studio plus behind the scenes footage of the 2008 Greatest Hits Arena Tour

Stereophonics recently showcased tracks from the album at a 5-star show at London’s Electric Ballroom - the band’s first show in the capital since their sold out gig at the O2 last December after they released their career embracing Greatest Hits record Decade In The Sun, which sold almost a million copies in two months.

The band also triumphantly returned to the site of their historic 1998 Cardiff Castle show for a special afternoon concert, which sold out in a cool 40 minutes and had tickets priced at £12.50 - the same price they were at their iconic show in June 1998.

Stereophonics head out on a 7-date UK Arena Tour, March 2010.