Once Upon a Time in the West Hard-Fi (CD)

British band Hard-Fi's sophomore album, Once Upon a Time in the West, has already gone to No1 in the UK album charts.

This has given the band their second album top spot after their debut Stars of CCTV did the same.

Hard-Fi's musical style is eclectic: their songs are an unlikely yet effective blend of punk, rock, ska and R&B.

The album opens with the old-school pop sound of Suburban Knights.

Its catchy chorus is likely to make it a favourite at the pub and football stadiums.

Help Me Please is the stand-out track. Written about the death of lead singer Richard Archer's mother, the strong lyrics, Beatles-style vibe and simple, clean instrumentation combine to make this sombre song a big hit.