Naturally, NME called Hard-Fi's debut album, Stars of CCTV, "the album of the year" upon its U.K. release in 2005. A year later, the Staines, England, foursome had a Mercury Music Prize nomination under its belt as well as two Brit Awards nods and a U.K. number one album. Those following the buzz on the other side of the Atlantic finally got their wish with the domestic release of Stars of CCTV in mid-March. With the popularity of Franz Ferdinand, Kasabian, and the Kaiser Chiefs simmering down around this time, Hard-Fi stepped into the American pop conscience when they were supposed to. While their spark and spunk are near matches of those aforementioned acts, Hard-Fi delivers more of an angst kind of performance. Frontman Richard Archer is fueled by Tony Blair's England. After all, these are four friends from a southwest London town. They sound like a garage band while delving into the monotony of everyday suburban life, referring to their small town upbringing. Thus a raw kind of work ethic gradually emerges on Stars of CCTV. Their formula of snappy choruses and tight guitar hooks, particularly on "Middle Eastern Holiday" and "Gotta Reason," captures Hard-Fi's youthful presentation. Archer's boyish vocals switch off between gritty and playful. If "Living for the Weekend" does not convince you of Hard-Fi's anxious effort in getting you to ease up on the ho-hum of working for a living, the fresh disco beats of "Hard to Beat" surely will. Hard-Fi's desire to create something solid enjoyable in the midst of everyday monotony is what makes Stars of CCTV an enjoyable first effort. Whether they are singing about having little money, unexpected pregnancy ("Cash Machine"), or a war-torn world ("Feltham's Singing Out"), Hard-Fi looks for something positive. Stars of CCTV offers a reason to look for something positive, too.
Hello, hello.I'm back from a brief holiday and I've decided to mog all night or at least a good portion of the night.Write my heart out with the itunes on party shuffle and just have at it.Here's some snaps of my trip right below just for the hell of it.Me and the Mrs. in MiamiCatching the Sun in Key WestThe Mayan ruins of Tulum in Mexico
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Cash Machine ...HARD-Fi are an English alternative rock band from Staines, Spelthorne, Surrey in England - a suburban location that has significantly influenced their musical style and lyrics.Staines is traditionally seen as a cultural wasteland by many critics. However it is the town's proximity to London that puts it in a position to produce a band that can be influenced by the scene, althoug...
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It's like audio-crack, and I can't stop.Quoting from Wikipedia:HARD-Fi are an English indie rock band. Richard Archer was the only member formerly in "Contempo" in Staines, Spelthorne, Surrey in England - a suburban location that has significantly influenced their musical style and lyrics.HARD-Fi's first full length tour of 2006 sold out in just 15 minutes calling for more dates to be added. Th...
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Cash Machine ...HARD-Fi are an English alternative rock band from Staines, Spelthorne, Surrey in England - a suburban location that has significantly influenced their musical style and lyrics.Staines is traditionally seen as a cultural wasteland by many critics. However it is the town's proximity to London that puts it in a position to produce a band that can be influenced by the scene, althoug...
More >
Hello, hello.I'm back from a brief holiday and I've decided to mog all night or at least a good portion of the night.Write my heart out with the itunes on party shuffle and just have at it.Here's some snaps of my trip right below just for the hell of it.Me and the Mrs. in MiamiCatching the Sun in Key WestThe Mayan ruins of Tulum in Mexico
More >
It's like audio-crack, and I can't stop.Quoting from Wikipedia:HARD-Fi are an English indie rock band. Richard Archer was the only member formerly in "Contempo" in Staines, Spelthorne, Surrey in England - a suburban location that has significantly influenced their musical style and lyrics.HARD-Fi's first full length tour of 2006 sold out in just 15 minutes calling for more dates to be added. Th...
More >
| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 Cash Machine |
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| 2 Middle Eastern Holiday |
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| 3 Tied Up Too Tight |
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| 4 Gotta Reason |
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| 5 Hard to Beat |
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| 6 Unnecessary Trouble |
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| 7 Move on Now |
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| 8 Better Do Better |
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| 9 Feltham Is Singing Out |
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| 10 Living for the Weekend |
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| 11 Stars of CCTV |
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