Once Upon A Time In The West [Uk Version] [CD]

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.

Following their very successful Stars of CCTV I was concerned they were going to be like many one-album bands out there. This album shows they hadn't used up all their creative juices in one go.

A good mixed bag of tracks.. they've managed to retain their identity without becoming caricatures of themselves.. all too often the 2nd album involves giving the audience more of the same, but sometimes cliched.

This album is still definitely Hard Fi, with the moody lead vocals and echoing harmonica on some tracks. If feels like the record company have spent more on this album.. to some it may sound too polished, not raw and gritty like their first effort, even though I've seen them live perhaps I'm not a Hard Fi purist and not so precious of "their sound" so I don't mind this new album as much as the other critics.

Get this album !

I have been eagerly awaiting this album for some time following the success of Stars of CCTV, which is still one of my favourite albums to date. Of course, being the 2nd Studio album leaves you with thoughts such as 'will it be as good as the first one?' I picked up the album 2 days ago, and I am absolutely blown away by the overall quality of both the individual tracks and the album as a whole, it has enjoyed 6 whole plays in my car up to now!

The opener, Suburban Knights, was the only track I had heeard from the album before purchasing, as it had been played all over the Radio previously. Following this track comes Watch me Overcome, Tonight and Watch me Fall Apart, a more mellow collection of songs, very haunting and in a whole new style not really covered in Stars of CCTV. The album Picks up the Pace again in I Close my Eyes and Television, leading into the brilliant Help Me Please. This is followed by the ultimate feelgood Can't Get Along Without You, and the singalong We Need Love. The album ends on a brilliant note with Little Angel and the lyrically amazing The King.

After my first listen of the album, I was amazed at the new sound the band have explored, and what I thought would be a similar style that really worked in Stars of CCTV (which was at the time unlike any band/artist in the mainstream) the band have explored a new avenue, and exceeded the previous album indefinately, with songs sounding so much more bold, epic and bringing a story to the song. Maybe i'm the only one who thought this, but in songs like Watch me Fall Apart and The King, the lyrics seemed to play out a story in my head!

Of course, the new style may throw some huge fans of the original album, but then again, I am a huge fan of Stars of CCTV, and I love the latest offering!