With five studio albums, the Stereophonics have garnered a sizable following in their native UK while managing only marginal stateside success. At this juncture, a live offering would seem the right move, both to consolidate their fan base and to retrench after recent personnel shakeups. Live from Dakota will likely do little to attract the uninitiated. As a trio, the band's raw, raucous performances eschew the melodic elements that make songs soar. The sound quality practically equates with an audience recording, given the amount of noise without nuance.
