Hard-Fi - London Camden Barfly - 24/1/05
4/5
By: Andy Willson
Staines has never had much to write home about, but at the moment there is a real buzz in the air, and we're not taking about the mobile phone-masts springing up all over the place. Having such humble beginnings gives you a real urgency to pull yourself from the shite around you and achieve something special, and Richard Archer is just the man for the job.
There is a remarkable gulf the second Hard-Fi take the stage from previous act, The Girls (three blokes, ironically, one of whom quite fancies being the new Lily Savage judging by his top). Tonight's gig coincides with the release of Hard-Fi's debut single proper 'Cash Machine', which has been winding up all the relevants, casting itself an 'instant classic' status for its no doubt inevitable re-release later on in '005.
First thing to note is their appearance. Singer Richard could pass for a better-looking Gaz Coombes, minus the lamb-chop sideburns, bass-player Kai Stephens, in his tight red jumper is a Mike Skinner/Weller amalgam, guitarist Ross Phillips is a cherubic Alan Ball minus the ginger thatch, and from the back of the room, drummer Steve Kemp looks alarmingly like Craig from Big Brother/Bo Selecta. Let's see if it works.
Other bands - a la Dead 60's - are replicating this dub mould at the moment (think The Jam and The Clash circa '77), but few others manage to pull it off with as much conviction. Hard-Fi have a remarkable ability to craft neat three-minute, hook-laden tunes with Jah Wobble-esque bass-lines that seem a feat to keep still to. Opening track 'Middle Eastern Holiday' sets the tone sumptuously, and with a pulsing 'Hard to Beat' hotly following in its footsteps, you know it's going to be naggingly undeniable. The sound is as tight as a gnat's chuff.
Our climax of the set, fairly obviously, is 'Cash Machine', and it manages to build toweringly, forcefully on the recorded version, with Rich switching between vocal duties and melodica. Halfway through and he looks a bit sheepish, asking the crowd if there's anyone from Staines here, and judging by the response, at least a third have left their drab surroundings travelling from West to North London. Wise move.
Their half-hour is mainly composed of tracks from self-financed EP 'Stars of CCTV', but there is room for a couple of new numbers which deserve to make the cut onto that first LP proper, due in July. Closer 'Living for the Weekend' should make it out as a single, but then again, so should 'Stronger'; sorely missing by those that have already hitched the EP.
So what we learn? The length and breadth of the country, bands are springing up like wild flowers and Hard-Fi are sure to experience their first blossom in 2005. Staines. Really, who'd have thought it.
Artists in this article: Hard-Fi
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