Hard-Fi - Launch their new record

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Fever is 'Hard to Beat' on the bands new album!

Hard-Fi **** hit London, Rough Trade East in Brick Lane, for a very special stripped-down performance and signing session. 'Stars of CCTV' in my opinion, is up there with Pulp's 'Common People' and Oasis' What's the story morning Glory' or even Blur's 'Parklife'. It's a very important record, which the band struggled to beat (Yes! it was 'Hard to Beat'). When you have a record that is as big as your first album, you have to go somewhere quite special to release anything to top it. And I think this led to the band taking time out and going back to their day job. I think every football fan in the country has at least three songs of 'Stars of CCTV' on their playlist.  Saying all this, I do own every album by Hard-Fi and think they all contain some great tracks. But I think what was missing was the standout anthems that everyone was expecting Hard-Fi to produce.

I think if these had been on the records, everyone would have listened more and found out how great the rest of the tracks on all their albums are. 'Sweating someone else's Fever', the band's new record, shows the band have decided to do something slightly different. I do have to listen more, but the record has a feel of a hot country that you would go to on your holidays to, maybe Jamaica or Benidorm. Mix this up with influences like The Specials or The Clash and you have the song they opened with at Rough Trade East in Shoreditch, London, 'Digo Nada'. This song sounds even better stripped back, with small Ukuleles and an electronic drum kit. Kai Stephens is the member of the band that most put's this sound onto the live stage at Rough Trade East, with his bass sounds. Sounding very much like The Jam, The Clash and the greats of the Punk Rock era.

As always, everyone loves the use by singer Richard Archer of the Key Melodica for the track 'Cash Machine', a song that really helped the band get to stardom. And a track that I have listened to a lot. This sounds as good as it always has, and really makes you realise that Hard-Fi should be one of the greats in English Indie music. It also works well following 'Stay Alive', off the band's third album 'Killer Sounds'. Which really didn't get the airplay it deserved. You can hear one of the new tracks, 'Looking for Fun', at the bottom of this page. 

This is a great track, maybe not my favourite off the new record... but one you definitely have to listen to. 'You rule my Heart (When the Summer’s Gone)' is a real grower of a track that I like more and more each time I hear it and think will be a live favourite in years to come. Like 'Suburban Knights' is now. But it's 'Hard to Beat' that will get the crowd cheering and begging for more, which is why it's one of the band's biggest songs. They are meant to only play 'The King', but the crowd want also 'Move on Now'. So Hard-Fi give the audience what they want, with a special montage of the two tracks together. They finish the set with their massive hit 'Living for the Weekend', which the band plays with such determination. 

Getting the crowd to sing along with them, and with singer Richard Archer going right to the front of the stage and leaning into the crowd. Singing every lyric at the crowd that have come here to celebrate the band's new album. It was a nice, different set by Hard-Fi, a stripped-back electric masterpiece.I say masterpiece because they found a way to make each one of their songs stand out in a different way than they did before. Hard-Fi was out of their comfort zone and really impressed. The only reason I only gave them four stars is that I think the best is still to come from this band. And I think you will hear it shortly on their next two records, where the band will produce songs that will see them playing stadiums in the future.

Review and Photos by Dan Devour

Hard-Fi - Setlist
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Digo Nada
Stay Alive
Cash Machine
Looking for Fun
You rule my Heart (When the Summer’s Gone)
Don’t go making Plans
Hard to Beat
Suburban Knights
The King / Move on Now
Living for the Weekend

Check Out! the lyric Video for 'Looking for Fun' Below...