I like this album - I didn't want to when I saw the video of Hard To Beat, because generally I will shy away from 'Indie', but this reminds me of bands like the Streets and the Ordinary Boys. I like the alternative angsty guitar base this comes from.
On the whole this is quite a good album. ... Read review
Road-tested in a car speeding the mean streets of Staines,Stars Of CCTV- the debut album ... more
from Middlesexs Hard-Fi consciously sets out to update the sense of frustrated tension and suburban dread that powered second-wave ska acts like The Specials and ...
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Road-tested in a car speeding the mean streets of Staines, Stars Of CCTV - the debut album ... more
from Middlesexs Hard-Fi consciously sets out to update the sense of frustrated tension and suburban dread that powered second-wave ska acts like The Specials an...
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Road-tested in a car speeding the mean streets of Staines,Stars Of CCTV- the debut album ... more
from Middlesexs Hard-Fi consciously sets out to update the sense of frustrated tension and suburban dread that powered second-wave ska acts like The Specials and ...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: Additional tracks in the new release Disadvantages: Subject matter a little too subjective sometimes
I like this album - I didn't want to when I saw the video of Hard To Beat, because generally I will shy away from 'Indie', but this reminds me of bands like the Streets and the Ordinary Boys. I like the alternative angsty guitar base this comes from.
On the whole this is quite a good album. The subject matter of the songs is quite depressing sometimes as the band draw upon their hometown of Staines experience (songs about joyriding ... ...you are taken away with the music, rather than the lyrics. The tracks also bounce from catchy, beaty tunes, to ones which are a little more relaxed.
The album grows on me the more I listen to it, but I can't help feeling that towards the end of the album some of the material gets a little thin, and that some of the tracks are fillers, but the quality of the others bodes well for future releases as the band grows through experience. more
I like this album - I didn't want to when I saw the video of Hard To Beat, because generally I will shy away from 'Indie', but this reminds me of bands like the Streets and the Ordinary Boys. I like the alternative angsty guitar base this comes from.
On the whole this is quite a good album. The subject matter of the songs is quite depressing sometimes as the band draw upon their hometown of Staines experience (songs about joyriding etc) but the more you listen to it, the more you are taken away with the music, rather than the lyrics. The tracks also bounce from catchy, beaty tunes, to ones which are a little more relaxed.
The album grows on me the more I listen to it, but I can't help feeling that towards the end of the album some of the material gets a little thin, and that some of the tracks are fillers, but the quality of the others bodes well for future releases as the band grows through experience.
Advantages: Brand New, exciting & vibrant Disadvantages: Couple of tracks not up to scratch
This CD i had eagerly awaited for a while, as i was getting a bit bored of my Killers album!! Its been nominated for a Mercury Music Award and its not surprising. At least 4 tracks stand out: Cash Machine
Tied Up Too Tight Move On Now
& and probably the best known and my personal favourite Hard to Beat.
These tracks are perfect for getting ready for a night out or just chilling out. Living for the weekend ( 4th single off the album) is also a ... ...using it as background music for their football specials!!!
The weak links on the album must be Gotta Reason and Feltham Is Singing Out - listenable but a bit bland compared to their singles.
However, overall this album is excellent and I would definately recommend it to anyone, particularly if you've into your britpop and indie rock. One to look out for!! ...
playboy5674 22.08.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Stars Of CCTV - Hard-Fi
Advantages: One of the best indie rock albums of the year Disadvantages: A couple of weak tracks
This is definitely one of the best indie rock albums of the year, and in my opinion one of the best albums of the year in general. Some very catchy guitar, and some great lyrics. Nothing ground-breaking or exceedingly profound with the lyrics, but very good. They tend to write about local experiences (they're from Staines), but where the references are local (Feltham young offenders instuitute for example) the things they sing about are reflected ... ...like early Stereophonics (from the Word Gets Around era).
Some great tracks on here, not just the singles Cash Machine and Hard to Beat, but tracks like Move on Now, which is a great slow ballad (just piano and vocals), and Better Do Better are certainly more than album fillers. Better do Better and Middle-Eastern Holiday are especially good, raucous rock tracks, lots of loud guitar and vocals.
However, there are a couple of "weak" tracks, Unnecessary ...
mickcave 18.12.2005 (09.01.2006)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Stars Of CCTV - Hard-Fi
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Advantages: High tempo social commentary put to an indi music back drop Disadvantages: It ends
Of the very few things my ex ever gave me that was any decent Stars of CCTV by Hard-Fi was probably the best (the rest of the time it was take take take), so with memories (and my phone playing the album) I've decided to share with you one of the gems of the indie revolution of the early 21st century in Britain.
Hard-Fi were formed in 2003 in Staines (yes the home of Ali G), as a 4 piece ( Richard Archer (vocals and guitar), Kai Stephens (bass guitar), Ross Phillips (guitar) and Steve Kemp (drums)) alternative rock band. Their debut album was Stars of CCTV released in 2005 but it wasn't until 2006 that the album peaked (reaching #1 in the UK charts) after the success of their singles. The album was followed in 2007 by the bands second one ?Once Upon A Time In The West? and in 2009 a new album is meant to be released. soon (though no ...
Advantages: If you like rock music, you'll love this. Disadvantages: Not much variation; songs are very similar.
***INTRODUCTION***
I bought the Stars of CCTV album the other day because of the seemingly unstoppable flow of adverts on channels 3 and 4. The "Q" magasine describes Hard-Fi as "the next major British band," and I have to agree with them. I bought the album in one of my study periods (tut tut!) in the supermarket, Tesco. I couldn't wait to get home and play it because of the great things TV ( and television NEVER lies) and my friends had told me about it. I was certainly not disappointed...
***OVERVIEW***
The four lads in Hard-Fi are Richard Archer, Ross Kemp, Kai Stephens and Ross Phillips. They are from a very poor background, and indeed some of their songs express what it is like to have no money.
***FURTHER DEPTH***
But don't get me wrong, this is no melancholony gothic-type CD only for those hell-bent on being ...
Advantages: Fantastic album, even for beginners. Disadvantages: Some sounds are dreary
?Stars Of CCTV? is the debut album from the Hard-Fi boys released on the 4th July 2005. It is an album about the suburban working-class youths of today with political and social lyrics similar to that of ?The Jam? and other politically-active bands. The band is comprised of Richard Archer, the lead singer, Ross Phillips lead guitar and backing vocals, Kai Stephens on bass and Steven Kemp on the drums. All of them are from Staines, in Middlesex. They are signed under the ?Warner? label in the UK and ?Atlantic? in the US.
This album features 11 tracks, five of which have gone on to become singles, all coming within the top20 in the UK Singles chart. The album itself has gone 2x platinum in the UK where it peaked at number 1 in Album Charts and once platinum in Ireland.
Cash Machine (3.42)
This is the first album on the album and was ...
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