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Darren Hayes used to be half of Savage Garden, the band from Brisbane who sold schmaltz by the shed load. They were particularly beloved by middle America who bestowed massive Billboard #1's to the singles "Truly, Madly, Deeply" (1987) and "I Knew I Loved You" (2000).
Hayes' first solo album, Spin (2002), was confused and complacent, but his new offering, The Tension And The Spark, fails to justify the trepidation with which I approached it. Admittedly, there's the odd track that sounds like Michael Stipe singing along to a Stylophone, but credit where credit's due, Darren has matured.
Lyrically, the album has a loose central theme of emotional transition, as Hayes puts it "from darkness into light. From blame to forgiveness and, finally, to the acceptance that everything, even misery, happens for a reason." Fair enough. It's certainly a considered approach that offers an overall sense of cohesion.
The big surprise is the prevalence of old-school electronica. Co-writer and producer Robert Conley is the man responsible. His band, Specificus, toured with Hayes and he subsequently lodged in the stars back bedroom. Cohabitation led to collaboration, which proved handy as the album could literally be recorded in-house.
'Main stream vocalist meets retro synth-meister' may not sound like a marriage made in heaven, but it doesn't sound that bad either, and The Tension And The Sparksees Darren Hayes in full bloom. --Antony Hatfield
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Album Description
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The Tension and the Spark is the new album from Australian singer/songwriter, Darren Hayes and follow up to his multi-million selling debut solo album Spin. This time around, Darren has worked with a team of cutting-edge producers to create a more experimental electronic sound and has bared his soul in the deeply personal and confessional lyrics. The first single to be taken from the album, "Pop!ular" is a satirical comment on the fickleness of fame.
The Tension and the Spark is the new album from Australian singer/songwriter, Darren Hayes and follow up to his multi-million selling debut solo album Spin. This time around, Darren has worked with a team of cutting-edge producers to create a more experimental electronic sound and has bared his soul in the deeply personal and confessional lyrics. The first single to be taken from the album, "Pop!ular" is a satirical comment on the fickleness of fame.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is the only album which has earned Hayes deserved respect from his peers and his industry.
This work is a far cry from his days as Savage Garden front man, and distances him even further from his intial solo effort 'Spin'. Whereas 'Spin' saw Hayes attempting to recreate the trademark Savage Garden sound, with an R&B edge, 'The Tension And The Spark' sees him soar as a singer and defines him as an astounding songwriter.
The album sees Hayes breathtaking vocals swim over a sea of elctronica which reflects the gritty emotional lyrics superbly.
The disc chronicles what has obviously been a difficult period for Hayes, with songs such as "Darkness" "Unlovable" and "Void" relating an acute depth unlikely to be found in most contemporary releases. However, the album is not bleak, and sees Hayes turning to hope in tracks such as "Feel" and "Light", commenting on modern day celebrity with the satirical "Pop!ular" and even the development of his own persona throughout his career in "Ego".
Long-term Hayes/Savage Garden fans should not expect to be disappointed, he retains his unquestionable vocal quality and furthers his range, higher and lower than ever, and still manages to include a heart-felt ballad in the form of "Dublin Sky". Even fans he won over with Spin, can expect to be entertained with the thumping throbbing beats of "I Like The Way" and "Love and Attraction".
The nature of this album's emminence is to be found in the bold change of direction for Hayes, and what is undoubtedly his best work yet.
This album is a triumph.
This work is a far cry from his days as Savage Garden front man, and distances him even further from his intial solo effort 'Spin'. Whereas 'Spin' saw Hayes attempting to recreate the trademark Savage Garden sound, with an R&B edge, 'The Tension And The Spark' sees him soar as a singer and defines him as an astounding songwriter.
The album sees Hayes breathtaking vocals swim over a sea of elctronica which reflects the gritty emotional lyrics superbly.
The disc chronicles what has obviously been a difficult period for Hayes, with songs such as "Darkness" "Unlovable" and "Void" relating an acute depth unlikely to be found in most contemporary releases. However, the album is not bleak, and sees Hayes turning to hope in tracks such as "Feel" and "Light", commenting on modern day celebrity with the satirical "Pop!ular" and even the development of his own persona throughout his career in "Ego".
Long-term Hayes/Savage Garden fans should not expect to be disappointed, he retains his unquestionable vocal quality and furthers his range, higher and lower than ever, and still manages to include a heart-felt ballad in the form of "Dublin Sky". Even fans he won over with Spin, can expect to be entertained with the thumping throbbing beats of "I Like The Way" and "Love and Attraction".
The nature of this album's emminence is to be found in the bold change of direction for Hayes, and what is undoubtedly his best work yet.
This album is a triumph.
27 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
From the first few notes of the first song, Darkness, you know that this is totaly different from any of Darrens previous work both solo and in Savage Garden. However, this is most certainly a positive thing. The music is most definetely electronic, but this, rather than detracting from, adds to the deeply personal lyrical content of the songs and creates music which is very original and beautiful. Perhaps most suprising is the lack of ballads. However, this is made up by the multitude of beautiful songs such as 'Unlovable' which is almost an anti-ballad in its lyrical content but just as beautiful as a Darren ballad in the trademark Darren vocal. POP!Ular is the most 'pop' record on the album which eases the public into the new electronic sound but doesn't really prepare you for the massive departure which is 'The Tension and the Spark'. Any Darren fan will buy this immediately - but I'd recommend it for anybody who likes listening to deeply personal and beautiful music.
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
If you think you know this artist... think again. Now and then an album breaks the surface of your complacency and rattles your beliefs and shakes up everything you've previously held true... and this is such an album. Darren Hayes is not a "new" artist. You can't have lived through the 90's without being affected by his way with a ballad. And yet everything he does on this album IS new. It's electronic in inception...but not the chilly Euro-tech sort of electronic you may have come to associate with the term. Hayes proves that there IS soul in the machine. It's organic in performance (you may not recognise the name but you'll certainly recognise the voice) and unexpected in sound. The melodic turns and flourishes you might remember from his previous work are still there (but skewed and given a much harder, leaner edge), and all the lyrical depth... and more. Much more. Above all, this is a work of brutal honesty, intensely personal, inward-focusing, about the contrast between the light in our lives and the dark that sometimes eclipses it. Not an easy listen. In fact, there are parts that will test your tolerance, break your heart, and leave you questioning the very nature of happiness. Illusion? Disillusion? Impossibility? You'll be surprised, and reassured, by the end.
So, after all that... how does it SOUND? Like the album Darren Hayes was always meant to make. In other words... not like anything else you've ever heard.
So, after all that... how does it SOUND? Like the album Darren Hayes was always meant to make. In other words... not like anything else you've ever heard.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
An under-rated and cutting-edge electro-pop gem
I've never been a serious fan of Darren Hayes. I loved some of the Savage Garden stuff, I liked his first solo album Spin, but I was not prepared for this.... Read more
Published on 11 Sep 2009 by Mr. V. J. Ardilio
You Can't Beat Darren Hayes
This guy is HUGELY underrated.
There's a bit of everything on here, Dance, R&B, Ballad... Read more
There's a bit of everything on here, Dance, R&B, Ballad... Read more
Published on 8 Jan 2008 by Only Me
His Best so far
Due to this album, there are always going to be two camps (no pun intended) for Darrens music. Those that enjoyed the lighter pop sound of his first solo album, and those with a... Read more
Published on 9 Jan 2007 by M. A. Burton
Genius.
This is the only album which has earned Hayes deserved respect from his peers and his industry.
This work is a far cry from his days as Savage Garden front man, and... Read more
This work is a far cry from his days as Savage Garden front man, and... Read more
Published on 21 July 2006 by L. Byrne
It's not Spin II
After hearing some of Darren's solo work, I decided to treat myself to both his solo albums. I received The Tension & the Spark first and found it's not a pure pop album full of... Read more
Published on 19 July 2006 by nerfeezah
Obscure
A long way from the Savage Garden roots and a change from Spin. The album is very stop start and should have been reserved as a demo project. Read more
Published on 14 Jun 2006 by G. P. Mann
Darren Goes Retro
Unfairly compared to his earlier solo effort "Spin", "The Tension & The Spark" sees Darren move in a completely different musical direction, whilst remaining true to his... Read more
Published on 19 April 2006 by M. Maxwell
quite good, but not as good as "spin"
After hearing spin i was anticipating "tension and the spark". the album is not what i would like to expect from darren, but although he has gone for a different type of genre, he... Read more
Published on 12 Feb 2006 by mark
Lyrically Breathtaking and Musically Outstanding
I wasnt much of a big fan of Savage Garden, then i heard insatiable, and got his solo album, but again, wasnt overally impressed. Read more
Published on 22 Jan 2006 by Richard Alan Lockwood
Something completely different
Darren's come a long way since Savage Garden, and this collection of electronic sounds and samples is a world away from the first SG album. Read more
Published on 13 Jan 2006 by Mr. C. P. Knight
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