Album: Stars of CCTV
Band: Hard-Fi
Release Type: Standard Album 11 Tracks
Release Date: 04 July 2005
Country: UK
Beaker Favourite: Cash Machine, Middle Easstern Holiday, Tied Up Too Thight, Move On Now, Better Do Better, Stars of CCTV
I was a bit apprehensive as to what Hard-Fi's album would be like when NME made an extraodianire introduction to Hard-Fi as the "music of tomorrow". Already this year, the music industry was flooded with the rise of UK's Britpop music. To name a few, bands like Bloc Party, Maximo Park and Kaiser Chiefs were the top contenders of this year's release. While Bloc Party and Maximo Park's debut album was considerably pleasing, the later new-wave floods basicly start to sound the same (The Departure, The Others, yadda yadda). Then comes Hard-Fi. I was wondering if this album could actually revive some vibe for me. The answer is yes, it does a pretty damn good job.
Four young lads from London, their debut album, Stars of CCTV is unlike any post-punk or new-wave or whatever-you-want-to-call-it music. It's different. Its quite extraordinary that its hard to put to words. The band may come across as raw and street-tough, but they’re given away by the sophistication in their songwriting, their talent as performers and their affection for perfect extra touches.
On the album's bursting opening track “Cash Machine” maybe best sums up the Hard-Fi sound: a melodica riff, a slow-grooving dance beat, big and clearly-ringing guitar stabs on the chorus. The second and third track, Middle Eastern Holiday and Tied Up Too Tight has superb fast burn retro chorus.
Their debut single is “Hard To Beat,” an infectious but kinda dumb song about nothing more than digging on a chick (“You know I love ya, just wanna touch ya”)has the potential to be a anthem in no time. Still, it’s catchy and provides a nice no-brains-needed mid-album break before the scorching “Unnecessary Trouble" that provides a rather cathy hard-beat rythemic tunes.
Despite Stars of CCTV's fast-paced, high-energy feel, Hard-Fi prove that they can slow it down too on the sublime, and apparently the only slow song in the album, "Move on Now". That they have earned the right to do a piano ballad at this point is a testament to the strength of what has come before. Probably one of my favourite track in the album, “Move On Now,” the piano ballad in question, is a beautiful and grief portrait of love, and that is a testament to Hard-Fi’s writing talents, as well being a hint at what the future holds for the band.
11 July 2005 - Stars of CCTV was nominated for the most prestigeous music prize in Britain, The Mercury Prize Awards. Mercury Music Prize awards have set out to reward the best in British music, regardless of genre or style. An independent panel of judges (music industry experts, journalists, record company bosses and the like) selects twelve ‘Albums of The Year’, before choosing one and announcing the overall winner on the night of the Mercury Music Show.
The Shortlist Nominations for 2005 Top Albums were:
Bloc Party 'Silent Alarm'
Coldplay 'X&Y'
The Go! Team 'Thunder Lightning Strike'
Hard-Fi 'Stars On CCTV'
Kaiser Chiefs 'Employment'
KT Tunstall 'Eye To The Telescope'
The Magic Numbers 'The Magic Numbers'
Maximo Park 'A Certain Trigger'
M.I.A. 'Arular'
Polar Bear 'Held On The Tips Of Fingers'
Seth Lakeman 'Kitty Jay'
The winner was announced on 6th of September and the winner is...Antony of Johnsons's I'm a Bird Now
Personal Opinion: I personaly dont think Kaiser Chiefs should be in that list. They are too overrated and their music is nothing than a mediocre pop songs. What a shitty band. The slot should've gone to Doves instead.
To sum up this album, all the tracks are equally impressive. As with so many new bands lately, Hard-Fi have produced a pretty damn good debut album that are mature and pleasing to a standard that exceeded a ordianry debut album. This album definetly one of top album of the year.
NME Rating: 9/10
Beaker Rating: 4/5
