Stereophonics

Distinguished by a superior grade of gravel in the voice of frontman Kelly Jones, South Wales trio Stereophonics adds grit to the rock ballad and heart to the classic tear-up. For a taste of their raw, rip-roaring best, cue up the signature single "The Bartender And the Thief," with its cutthroat honesty and sharp, engaging narrative poetry.

The solid foundations of Stereophonics can be traced back to "More Life In a Tramp's Vest," the B-side of their first single from November 1996, with its stompin' backbone and small-town lyric. The band has a fine way with covers, too, as singer Jones wraps his husk round Roberta Flack's classic "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face."

From their debut album, Word Gets Around, all charming abrasion and irresistible energy, to the mature blues-rock of their later work (try the searing "I Miss You Now," from 2003's You Gotta Go There to Come Back), Welsh outfit Stereophonics has consistently harnessed anger, poetry, and guts on tracks of the finest caliber. Even covered material, like "Handbags and Gladrags" (aka the theme from the U.K. comedy series The Office), seems to get stronger with the Stereophonic touch. Beefy, tender, brilliant.