Review Summary: For Tomorrow: A Guide to Contemporary British Music, 1988-2013 (Part 96)
After Oasis took working class anthems super-nova in those 90’s, the UK is constantly on the lookout for the next batch of broke-ass townies to set their struggles to good old guitar rock. You could even make a case that the UK has an unhealthy obsession with globe conquering rock groups (see: the recent “we want a rock band” Glastonbury controversy) and the infamous “battle of britpop” fiasco has infected Britain with a constant desire to hoist a group of working class sods onto their shoulders for a few years then toss them over a cliff by their sophomore album.
Hard-Fi showed up in 2005 ready and willing to become the next batch of working class heroes and the UK responded in kind by making their debut
Stars of CCTV a number one album. They could have had a decent run too if those damn Arctic Monkeys hadn’t shown up a few months later and trounced them at every turn. Despite the Gang of Four melodica intro pump fake, Hard-Fi have more in kind with more grounded rock groups like The Clash and The Jam, writing from the perspective of the downtrodden employee trying to figure out how to get ahead of his rent and go to the pub this weekend.
Singer Richard Archer is pulling from a very well trod bag of topics here. He’s broke (“Cash Machine”), he wants to get laid (“Hard to Beat”), he’s bored with London (“Tied Up Too Tight”), and he’s living for the weekend (uh, “Living for the Weekend”). But Archer and Co. leap into each topic with aplomb, varying styles between straight ahead guitar rawk, dub, and disco with enough energy and confidence to pull off each. They’re even bold enough to try on a few ballads with some great (“Stars of CCTV”) and meh (“Move on Now”) results.
NME editors aside, Hard-Fi springs to nobody’s mind when they consider the UK’s early 00’s new rock revolution even though they were quite popular.
Stars of CCTV lobbed four singles into the top 20 and eventually climbed into the number one spot. But it wasn’t enough for Hard-Fi, who decided the stateside modern rock success of “Cash Machine” meant an American crossover was within their grasp. Naturally, their sophomore effort, 2007’s
Once Upon a Time in the West sucked and they’ve never made it back from there. But for what it’s worth,
Stars of CCTV is an engaging entry into the last-gasp of British guitar rock bands commanding decent chart positions.
