Hard-Fi - Killer Sounds

3.0

0.0 (0)

British lads are back with their 3^rd album, and arguably the best since Stars of CCTV, their successful 2007 debut album. A change of direction, but in a good way, has produced quite a listenable album for the lads from Staines in Surrey, but not without a twist. Confused? Read our review below.

Killer Sounds isn’t what you’d call a ‘grabber’. On first listen the opening track, and first single, Good For Nothing, signals that perhaps the dance-punk/reggae/indie mix that Hard-Fi has become known for is no longer. In fact, it’s a bit left-field.

The second single (also the second song on the album) takes a departure from the opening track and produces a bass-heavy almost electro track called Fire In The House that would sit well anywhere in Ibiza/a Pet Shop Boys concert (honestly).

Give It Up sets off something more expected that sounds a lot more like the Hard-Fi that we’ve become accustomed to. Then, it’s the disco-infused Bring It On, another really odd, but still very good track.

The next few tracks are great example of Hard-Fi’s music and are honestly enjoyable tracks. Then comes Love Song, produced by Stuart Price (he of Kylie Minogue fame)......a great, radio-friendly track, that again seems to take yet another swift change. The last track, Killer Sounds, is definitely a low-point on the album.

How the hell do you find a genre for this record? Is it a rip off of The Stone Roses/Happy Mondays/Primal Scream indie movement? Who knows.

I’m not sure whether they tried so hard to regain their earlier form that they decided to parody themselves in an Inception-like moment of a parody within a parody (or is that too clever for the lads?). The name of the LP is also really curious. I’ve since read some other reviews in fact-checking this review and all, strangely, are the same. Can’t figure it out.

What I can safely say is that I enjoyed this record. It’s not something that’s going to burn your CD player/iPod relentlessly, but it’s a good listen and certainly has some legs beyond the now. It’s fun, and at face value, and perhaps with any other band name attached to the title, would’ve been amazing – ahh it’s just too confusing!

Hard-Fi - Fire In The House

Editor review

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