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Hard-Fi - Once Upon a Time in the West (2007)
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You will read reviews of this album that say it is a bit disappointing after their amazing debut album. DO NOT PAY ATTENTION TO THOSE REVIEWS. The style on this second album has moved on a little from the first one, but not so far as to be unrecognisable. There is a bigger sound this time around, and the album is more 'produced' than the first one, but that does not automatically detract from the result. The album is still a giant of the 'Naughties' and worthy of a place in your collection. The songs are still edgy and almost immediately 'catchy'. Perhaps it is that musical accessibility that some have mistakenly objected to. Bands evolve, and that is what is going on here. In fact Hard-Fi continue to evolve and their third album 'Killer Sounds' is proof of that (and is a fantastic album too by the way). If you stop trying to compare it to the debut album, you will soon come to recognise it is an excellent stand-alone piece of work. It is stacked with great songs, and you will not be disappointed.Read full review
Hard-Fi's debut 'Stars of CCTV' is one of the best albums I have ever heard, so I was very, very excited about the release of 'Once Upon a Time in the West'. Unfortunately, I've got to say that, although it's a good, solid record, this sophomore effort just doesn't live up to its predecessor. Lead single 'Suburban Knights', with its chanted refrain, is a good enough singalong, but it feels more than a little like a Kasabian pastiche - and Hard-Fi are (or were) better than that. In places, the band appear to have lost their edge; the passion and anger that made their debut so thrilling seem dulled, and the lyrics about ordinary working life now ring hollow. Most baffling is the decision not only to include 'Can't Get Along (Without You)' - a track first recorded by frontman Richard Archer's previous band Contempo - but also to release it as a single. In my opinion, this is the worst song Hard-Fi have ever recorded; the lyrics are cringe-inducing. As a long-time fan, I can't understand why the band would include a track like this when they've had far better B-sides - the anthemic 'Stronger', for example, and their scintillating cover of the White Stripes' 'Seven Nation Army'. This certainly isn't to say that the album is all bad. The bitter, defiant 'I Shall Overcome' has a great gospel-influenced chorus. Strings are used to fantastic effect on 'Watch Me Fall Apart' and 'Tonight', giving the songs an air of grandeur that was absent from the first album. 'We Need Love' sounds like a football chant as mixed by Goldfrapp - no bad thing, since this brings an experimental edge to the band's sound. There's a couple of tracks, most notably 'Television', that have incredibly weak verses but still boast Hard-Fi's trademark powerful choruses. Because of this, the record becomes more likeable the more you play it and familiarise yourself with the songs. 'Once Upon a Time in the West' is a good album, with a few standout tracks; and if you're already a Hard-Fi fan, or if you like 'Suburban Knights', you'll find it very listenable. But if you're new to the band, my advice would be to buy the far superior 'Stars of CCTV' - in my opinion, a record good enough to be called a bona fide classic, with every song good enough to be made a single.Read full review
I mangeged to get to get a sneaky listen of the album and it really dosent dissapoint, the opener "suburban knights" is a catchy indie anthem thatll have you humming all day! "i shall overcome" and "tonight" are indie ballads to cherish! but dont worry they havent fone soft, theres plenty more catchy hard-fi riffs to keep you entertained! 9/10! stand out tracks suburban knights cant get along without you ( these are just my favourites)
I love Hard Fi and was really excited to purchase the new cd (once upon a time in the west). The tracks on this cd are really good, however i did feel as though this cd is not as good as the 1st album. Once upon a time in the west is a really good cd and i would recomend buying it.
I bought this album based purely on hearing Suburban Nights on the radio and the fact that their first album has rarely left my cd player since I bought it. I rarely buy an album without hearing at least 4 or 5 tracks first but I love Hard-Fi and this album has not let me down. All the tracks are so easy to listen to and even if you think you don't like one of them, you will be singing along to it in no time. If you are a Hard-Fi fan (or even if you're not) you can't go wrong, it's worth every penny!
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