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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
For many would-be-achievers the so-called perfect pop record is an unattainable career-long aspiration. Dublin quartet Hal would doubtless view this maxim as defeatist clap-trap. The band's wonderfully realised debut album--called simply Hal to avoid any confusion- skips all that apprenticeship drudgery and plunges head first into the deep-end of Brian Wilson's symphonic pop swimming pool. Beach Boys' influences may seem omnipresent these days but rarely have the harmonies and arrangements from "Wild Honey" through to "15 Big Ones" (hear Hal do an Al Jardine-in-Cincinatti on "Don't Come Running") been so cheekily and yet expertly commandeered. Otherwise, Hal's fulsome tunes--today we would call them "guilty pleasures" -seem to have been unearthed from a mid-to-late Seventies soft-pop time capsule; an era when Eric Carmen, 10cc, Pilot, the solo Roy Wood's genius Spector-ite approximations and Supertramp's sweet-toothed pop monster "Breakfast In America" were popular music's daily bread and butter. Hal keep good company. "Keep Love As Your Golden Rule" sounds like a 24 carat Everly Brothers and the epithetic "Play The Hits" (Motown in a sun hat) sounds like they really can't be bothered with writing anything as drab as a b-side. So they haven't. --Kevin Maidment
Album Description
Hal's much anticipated eponymous debut album is the sound of four young Irish men by-passing the computerised production line of 21st century music to create a perfect piece of pop joy. Hal features the singles "Play the Hits", "What a Lovely Dance" and "Worry About the Wind". They cite Harry Nilsson, Brian Wilson and Van Morrison as direct influences on their classic yet quirky 70s west-coast FM-pop-influenced sound.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This album has been almost universally praised by the press with almost blanket 5 and 4 star reviews. A reason to buy it but also a reason to be wary. I have to say it is one of the best pieces of modern pop music I have heard in a long time. It is hard to think of any other band out there making music of such sheer ambition; craft and warmth. Some of the songs are extraordinary: my eyes are sore is like a mini-opera with multi-layered vocals; harps and horns whilst fools by your side and don't come running feel like offcuts from Pet Sounds: yes, they are that good. Their sheer strength of individuality and vision and strength with a melody prevents any of this from descending into pastiche. I really think it's a masterpiece.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
A fantastic record! Killer tracks are 'What A lovely dance', 'Play the hits', 'Don't come running', 'i sat down' and 'worry about the wind' but they are all awesome. And there's so much variety on the album: from the summery, beach boys/ motown-like 'Play the hits' and the great 'Don't come running' to more mellow-sounding tunes like 'i sat down'. I advise anyone looking for some uplifting and refreshing music to buy this album and u shouldn'tbe disappointed!
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Forget the recent big releases by Coldplay & Oasis et al, this is where the enjoyment is to be had. Once in a while an album is released that can be listened to from start to end on the first play, whilst leaving a massive smile on your face as well as your heart. This is just one such slab of music, standouts for me..."My Eyes are Sore" beautiful and stirring, when the strings come in right towards the end overlaying the final round of harmonies..fabulous, "Don't Come Running" & "Worry about the Wind" lovely summer 70's era Beach Boys & Big Star driving songs, "Coming Right Over" simply wonderful, what a way to end a fantastic 43 mins of music. With Hal and The Magic Numbers we truly are spoilt! Buy Buy Buy!!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Unbelievable
Heard one of their songs on Spotify and immediately became a fan, every song is brilliant. If you like the Beach Boys you'll probably like this, the harmonies are excellent and the... Read more
Published 1 month ago by MonkeyMan
Hallelujah
Excuse the pun ^. Hal have found a wavelength that only consists of sand and sea, cliffs and pesky seagulls. It reeks of summer still. Read more
Published on 3 Aug 2005 by "ojimmy"
Packed with summer tunes
Time will tell if this album earns a fifth star. For now it feels fresh and summery, contemporary yet pleasantly unfashionable. Read more
Published on 6 May 2005 by B. A. Woodhouse
Sound of summer
I bought this after seeing the band in concert earlier this year. The melodies are excellent and the songs are consistently good - I'll be listening to this album a lot over summer... Read more
Published on 30 April 2005
halcyonic! hallucinogenic! hallelujah!
The above are just 3 alliterative words that could be used to describe this fully realised pop beauty. Read more
Published on 13 April 2005 by P. LONGWELL
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