Join Amazon Prime and get unlimited Free One-Day Delivery. Already a member? Sign in.

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
   
More Buying Choices
66 used & new from £0.88

Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
Available to Download Now
 
Buy the MP3 album for £6.78
 
 
 
 
Once Upon a Time in the West
 
See larger image
 

Once Upon a Time in the West

~ Hard-Fi
4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
Price: £3.78 & eligible for Free UK delivery on orders over £5 with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

Only 4 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).

Want guaranteed delivery by Wednesday, July 15? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details
41 new from £0.99 24 used from £0.88 1 collectible from £19.99
Buy the MP3 album for £6.78 at the Amazon MP3 Downloads store.

Watch a Related Video

03:57


Frequently Bought Together

Customers buy this with Stars of CCTV ~ Hard-Fi

Once Upon a Time in the West + Stars of CCTV
  • This item: Once Upon a Time in the West ~ Hard-Fi

    In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    Eligible for FREE UK delivery on orders over £5 with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

  • Stars of CCTV ~ Hard-Fi

    In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions


Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Stars of CCTV

Stars of CCTV

~ Hard-Fi
4.0 out of 5 stars (101)  £5.78
Beyond the Neighbourhood

Beyond the Neighbourhood

~ Athlete
4.2 out of 5 stars (23)  £7.48
We'll Live and Die in These Towns

We'll Live and Die in These Towns

~ The Enemy
3.8 out of 5 stars (40)  £3.98
Wait for Me

Wait for Me

~ The Pigeon Detectives
4.0 out of 5 stars (35)  £5.08
An End Has a Start

An End Has a Start

~ Editors
4.0 out of 5 stars (45)  £4.98
Explore similar items

Product details

  • Audio CD (3 Sep 2007)
  • Number of Discs: 1
  • Label: Atlantic
  • ASIN: B000SKO986
  • Other Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 2,771 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customers Viewing This Page May Be Interested in These Sponsored Links

  (What is this?)
Hard-FI
   www.muzu.tv/hardfi    Watch Or Share Hard Fi Music Videos, Free from MUZU.TV. 
  
 

Track Listings

1. Suburban Knights
2. I Shall Overcome
3. Tonight
4. Watch Me Fall Apart
5. I Close My Eyes
6. Television
7. Help Me Pleas
8. Can't Get Along
9. We Need Love
10. Little Angel
11. The King

Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review
It’s one thing to be celebrated, and it’s quite another to become inescapably iconic. Hard-Fi stumbled into the latter with their debut Stars of CCTV, reflecting on life in satellite town UK with stark iconography, articulately pitched lyrics and accessibility sprinkled with the credibility of The Clash’s rebel poise--a rare achievement, perhaps only equalled by Arctic Monkeys’ and The Streets’ snap-shots of teenage life. An icon is not infallible however, and it looked like Hard-Fi’s commuter train to realism-central might have been derailed in the run up to this album’s release. Their cocky, misguided decision to declare the death of the album cover simply by printing the words "NO COVER ART" on theirs was a bad joke at best. And while the diagnosis for the album itself may not be quite so bad--the buoyant swagger of "Suburban Knights" opens things up without breaking stride--Once Upon a Time in the West does lack the thematic weight of their debut. Musically it is more mature; there are strings everywhere, the ska influence remains but the bright-light club ambience of old is largely smoothed over. "Television" bags a chorus worthy of expectation, blokey-gospel to the extreme, but throws around so much pre-school sloganeering against culture and politics that its effect is dimmed. "We Need Love" is less preachy and works better. "Can’t Get Along (Without You)" is a dumb Motown-esque love song, doesn’t suit their posture at all, but is just the kind of bubblegum they might have to rely on if their socio-realism has gone flat. --James Berry

CD Description
'Once Upon A Time In The West' is the sophomore album from Surrey-based socio-political rockers Hard-Fi. Once again, Richard Archer's bittersweet dispatches from the suburbs are set to a backdrop of swaggering, Clash-esque rhythms and programmed beats, but this time around the songs are bigger, bolder and better, making for a better listening experience allround. Includes the single 'Suburban Knights'.

Suggested Tags from Similar Products

 (What's this?)
Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
Check a corresponding box or enter your own tags in the field below
(1)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

 

Customer Reviews

41 Reviews
5 star:
 (24)
4 star:
 (6)
3 star:
 (2)
2 star:
 (3)
1 star:
 (6)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.0 out of 5 stars (41 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Good... just not as good as 'Stars of CCTV', 25 Sep 2007
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.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A good follow up, 21 Sep 2007
By K. P. Brakes "Kieran Brakes" (Brighton, England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Whilst this album was never going to catch the dizzy heights its predecessor reached it's still a good follow up.
It's darker and more soulful than Stars of CCTV and a feeling of loneliness echoes throughout the album.
I was initially disappointed that `You and Me' failed to make the final cut on the album as this is one of hard-fi's best songs but was reduced to being the B side of Suburban Knights..
'Surburban Knights' kicks off the album and although clever lyrically it does begin to sound a little clichéd after a while as does the track 'Televison' but purists could argue this is what hard-fi do best - anthemic, terrace-chant style songs.
Highlights are 'Can't get along without you', 'watch me fall apart' and the superb last track `The King' However for me the stand out track is `help me please' Richard Archer's evocative cry for help.
Don't buy this album if you're expecting Stars Of CCTV Mark 2, OUATITW is a more polished, mature grown up sounding version of hard fi. Am already looking forward to the 3rd album
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Another great album from hard fi, 2 Sep 2007
By crazy meerkat (England, UK) - See all my reviews
The second album from hard fi continues the unique style that made their debut album 'Stars of CCTV' sell 1.2m copies, I've commented on my favourite tracks from the album. 'The King' is about a man returning to his home town trying to find his ex-girlfriend "got your photo and i wonder do you still own this number but in my heart i know you changed that number long ago, once i was the king". 'Television' is another strong track on the album with a catchy chorus "Television, new religion, everyone sing alleluia". This album has been put on the bands myspace myspace.com/hardfi , and the person who has commented that this album is chavy in their review clearly knows nothing about music.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Best cover art ever, even if it isn't!
I've never heard Hard-Fi, no idea what they sound like, but I have just read the following in Orange's list of worst album covers ever:

"One teensy problem with your... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Andromeda Descendent

1.0 out of 5 stars I'll pay you not to buy this
Heard this album and it made me feel like being sick. Saw the band on TV and the lead 'singer' made me feel like turning to violent crime. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Mr. K. L. Kinsella

4.0 out of 5 stars Give it a few listens
This album in my opinion is just as good as their debut.

It didn't grab me that much when i first listened to it, but after a couple of listens i really started... Read more
Published 13 months ago by D. Service

5.0 out of 5 stars SUPERB ALBUM
I think Stars of CCTV is one of the best albums I have ever bought, and this one is just as good, a little less in your face but it really grows on you.
Published 14 months ago by Surrey Boy

3.0 out of 5 stars This record sounds rushed - record company pressure?
the debut album by Hard-Fi would always be a hard act to follow, though it was far from faultless. While their uptempo tracks bounce along with a great Clash-like swagger, they... Read more
Published 17 months ago by The Sad One

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
Brilliant CD, i would say that this is better than the stars of cctv, the songs have a much better rhythm and you can really get into some of the songs. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Nathan

4.0 out of 5 stars The boys are on song
Compared to the debut album this 2nd offering from Hard-Fi stands up just as well to my ears. The production is slicker, vocals more finely honed and instrumentation tighter. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Stephen Holmes

1.0 out of 5 stars i don't care what they have to say
It is a common misconception that music made by the working classes (Oasis, Kasabian, The enemy etc) is deemed more important than music by bands who let the music speak for... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Mr. CJ HUDSON

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Stuff
This is an excellent second effort. I think the songs are more consistent than the first (which I love). These guys are worth a listen. One of the best British Bands today.
Published 19 months ago by A. A. Graham

5.0 out of 5 stars HEY HEY HEYYYYYY OH OH OHHHHHH AH AH AHHHHHH HEY HEY HEYYYYYY
Like many other reviewers I bought "Once Upon A Time..." upon the strength of "Stars..."
Like so MANY others I have NOT been dissapointed! Read more
Published 19 months ago by S. Luggah

Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
This product's forum (0 discussions)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
  No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]


Active discussions in related forums
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
Here's the deal 23 1 minute ago
the Reel deal 0 4 minutes ago
Heres another deal 15 5 minutes ago
the Real Deal 2 14 minutes ago
Covers That Trumped the Originals? 131 15 minutes ago
Crack the code 6236 1 hour ago
Best alternative guitarist 65 1 day ago
   
Related forums


What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Once Upon a Time in the West
82% buy the item featured on this page:
Once Upon a Time in the West 4.0 out of 5 stars (41)
£3.78
Stars of CCTV
9% buy
Stars of CCTV 4.0 out of 5 stars (101)
£5.78
We'll Live and Die in These Towns
4% buy
We'll Live and Die in These Towns 3.8 out of 5 stars (40)
£3.98
State of Things
3% buy
State of Things 4.3 out of 5 stars (18)
£4.98

Listmania!


Look for similar items by category


Feedback


Fun for Everyone

Christmas Gifts
Achieve over 15,000 RPM with our great range of Powerballs.

Shop the Powerball store

 

More From Hard-Fi

Stars of CCTV

Stars of CCTV ~ Hard-Fi

Road-tested in a car speeding the mean streets of Staines, Stars Of... Read more
£5.78

 

Up to 50% off Dental Care

Braun Oral-B Professional Care 6000 Rechargeable Toothbrush - Pack of 2
Put a sparkle in your smile with up to 50% off selected Oral-B and Philips rechargeable toothbrushes.

Up to 50% off power toothbrushes

 

Treat Someone

Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates--available in any amount from £5 to £500 With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

Learn more about Gift Certificates

 
Ad

Where's My Stuff?

Delivery and Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.

Continue Shopping: Top Sellers
The Girl Who Played with Fire
Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Host
The Host by Stephenie Meyer

amazon.co.uk Amazon Home
International Sites:  United States  |  Germany  |  France  |  Japan  |  Canada  |  China
Business Programs: Sell on Amazon  |  Fulfilment by Amazon  |  Join Associates  |  Join Advantage
Customer Service  |  Help  |  View Basket  |  Your Account
About Amazon.co.uk  |  Careers at Amazon
Conditions of Use & Sale |  Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates