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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
Product Description
HAL Hal (Factory Sealed 2005 UK 11-track CD featuring the eponymous debut album from the Irish band and one which has spawned some fantastic singles; What A Lovely Dance Play The Hits and Worry About The Wind. Factory sealed therefore unplayed RTRADCD160)
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Album of the year?,
By desdemona (London, UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: HAL (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:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best thing to come out of Ireland since U2!,
By
This review is from: HAL (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:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simply wonderful!,
This review is from: HAL (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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