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Hard-Fi

Once Upon a Time in the West

(Atlantic)

Born from suburban boredom in the unlikely English town of Staines, Hard-Fi are back with their 'difficult' second album that is similar, although sadly not as good, as their critically and commercially successful debut.

The band self-released Stars of CCTV in 2004 and saw it go to  No1 in Britain  and their first major tour sell out in a record 15 minutes.

There was a drive behind the music and lyrics that meant Hard-Fi became the chroniclers of their suburban generation.

The second album, presumably written from a rather more comfortable background is all the more flaccid for it. The opening track is the dull and foolishly titled Surburban Knights.

It is followed by I Shall Overcome, a straightforward pop record that should garner plenty of radio airplay. Lazily, it has a similar chanting chorus as Surburban Knights as does Tonight, but at least that track has a string arrangement that suggests some ambition.

Things improve with We Need Love, which has a retro Specials feel, and Little Angel that bursts forth with all the promise of what this album could have been.

Given its middling quality Once Upon a Time may garner more attention for the sleeve design than the music. Hard-Fi have eschewed art save for the boldly typed 'No Cover Art' on the front.

This worked for the Beatles' eponymously titled album now known as 'the White Album'

(because of its plain white sleeve).

That was the Fab Four's best-selling album, but it's unlikely the lads from Staines will equal its 19 times platinum status either in sales or quality.



Hard-Fi