Staines-based outfit Hard-Fi’s a hit with the Brit kids, with two records to their name, both of which hit #1. The most recent, Once Upon A Time In The West, sees Stateside release today, which the band’s celebrating with some clips from a live session recorded in London’s Air Studios a little while back. On “Tonight,” singer Richard Archer’s called it a “big piano driven number,” mentioning it’s “about the possibility of night time.” This clip does little by way of recreating the night or the piano — it’s a well-lit studio, with Hard-Fi manning the acoustics; the verses don’t hit with much heft, either, but the hook and (especially) the backing vox give it a sense of scene-stealing drama. “History is made at night,” continued Archer, and you get the sense he’s used “Tonight” to woo a girl or two afterhours. With that chorus, probably worked, too.
Once Upon A Time In The West is out in the US today on Atlantic.
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Hard-Fi are horrible horrible horrible – bad late 90′s indie allied to pseudo class-war posturing by people with no fashion sense.
And the singer just makes me want to destroy his face. Just cave it in.
Totally agree with Jamie. Saw them play with the Cribs last year and I felt an all-encompassing rage pass through me throughout the whole set while they played. Lots of people posture but these guys, woowww. And the chubby NYU girls in attendance were loving it. Complete pseudo-Clash attire matched to pre-recorded backing tracks, with lots of wanky mic grabs and face touching by the singer. sorry but just the mention of their name makes me seeeethe
Shittier than Hilary Duff.
I like the ‘Fi. Their lyrics are pretty cliched, but they can really deliver some big choruses and pretty decent backing vocals.
This song’s one of my favorites on the new record.
http://www.youhavebadtasteinmusic.com/
i liked a few songs off the first record,t hen i realized how shitty they were.
i liked a few songs off the first record,t hen i realized how shitty they were.
i liked a few songs off the first record,t hen i realized how shitty they were.
Hard Fi are awful, why they’re being mentioned here is an absolute mystery. This is not why I visit this site. I think the ‘Gum is in somebody’s pocket.
just curious… If you don’t like Hard-Fi…. then why are you even on this page? Do you really think you are going to dissuade anyone whose already made a decision about them from liking them?
Seriously is everyone an indie hater or something. Hard Fi makes pretty decent music compared to what else they show on tv. I liked their first album alot, but really haven’t found many songs that I like on their second release.
I don’t care what anyone else thinks of them – i just detest them, and wanted to let the world know.
I say the same thing to friends/strangers when i see them on TV or hear them in a shop or something.
Leave me alone
You’re not my real dad
Does anyone else think the singer looks like a vampire or some other creature of the dark? Just me? ok
F***ing hell! I ‘ve just read some comments about HF on here and can’t BELIIEEEEVE that people, in this age of boundless creative scope, still live such miserable, impoverished and bitter lives that they feel COMPELLED to share their poisonous thoughts with “the world”. It’s so passé to be so small-minded and petty : ). Opinions are fine, of course, but being a total c*** is so unnecessary. I know that it can be sickening to see audacity “win” over integrity, but it just so happens these boys have a balance of both, which probably challenges your little views of what’s “acceptable” in your musicky fishtank of a world. You can like your precious “integrity” music til the cows come home, but it doesn’t REALLY give you the exclusive buffer to be a genuine a-hole about stuff you feel falls short of your standards… Do yourselves a favour and have an open mind. If you are American and insular with it, there is a chance you wouldn’t understand the way HF are anyway. It probably doesn’t quite come across. Sounds like you’re judging them spuriously, wherever you’re from. You make yourselves look twisted, stupid and jealous. The hate on here actually made me feel dizzy. These boys are great people; why are they shitty? They write good songs (“clichéd lyrics” are frequently found in many popular songs, by the way). Even if they aren’t to your special taste, they deserve all the accolade and success they’ve had in Britain – you just don’t like em – but Jesus, what’s wrong with you all? Why are you being so personal and insulting? I reckon I know exactly what it is: blocked creativity and therefore resentment and suppressed jealousy. You don’t even have the courage to admit your own inferiority and jealousy issues. You can’t stand it that these lads’ve had the guts to go for it and be who they are, who they want to be. Maybe the “posturing” and mic grabbing and all that, is just a part of what they do to give the showmanship necessary to carry the act off – maybe it’s part of what they did to get away from the small times pub gigs they were doing for so long. I think it’s called performance. Some stage acts do this more naturally and convincingly than others, I suppose. But really, I know this lot have a sense of humour as well. If you ain’t got what it takes to see thro’ all that, then it’s not their problem really. Some teeny girls might take it at face value, whereas their contemporaries are more into the music and ethos. Weller and Mick Jones willingly work with ‘em, so I think you lot are bit off-key to be honest. When people are creative, have you considered that it’s OK to make ‘mistakes’? Critics make a big thing of pulling people to pieces, but it’s so easy to do that. Why bother? At least use all that intelligence and insight to be constructive about the actual music composition and arrangment and back up your remarks. You never improve if you never even start anywhere, so WHY do we all give each other such a hard time? If you’d seen HF play Brixton or the Astoria in London, I can’t believe you’d say they were shit. They gave it their all and I’m not sure “face-touching” was a problem, you f’ing wally : ). They are influenced by and totally love The Clash, but I wouldn’t say more than that. And I’d just LOVE to see what outfits YOU pull out of the wardrobe for a night out. I bet you’re really proud of your eBay Gucci manbag with room for a douche-bag)… The days of Weller and The Clash are impossible to repeat and I’m sure HF know this. Rich Archer is bright enough to know he can’t begin to be the same as Strummer, because, errrm, he’s not Strummer. So your words are bullsh**, to be frank. The Clash and Weller were influenced by rockabilly, folk, dub, ska and soul and so it goes on, in a “pseudo” tradition, back thro the musical generations. And as for your class war comment, Jamie (I think), WOT ARE YOU ON ABOUT ? Don’t be silly. You’re probably all miserable, blocked perfectionists who live their lives through the ULTIMATE historical talents of others like The Clash or Hendrix, or whoever you love so much. Or perhaps you don’t consider yourselve blocked because you’re in “struggling”, small-time bands (even MORE frustrating!) and daren’t expose yourselves too much for fear of failure or appearing audacious; OR you’re maybe trying to expose yourselves and become stars but JUST DON’T HAVE the X-Factor Rich Archer has as a frontman. Perhaps you are simply uncomfortable with the fact they made it over here and you can’t comprehend how they did it, because your minds are too small and inflexible about the meaning of “success” or “integrity”. You might claim just to be a music fan with “good taste”and no creative pretentions at all, but I swear anyone who goes on like you lot is painfully blocked and needs to find an outlet for positive creation… And REALLY – to pick up on anyone’s looks and make stupid comments about it is the sub filter-fish behavour of any critic. It’s not even funny or intelligent; just embarrassingly transparent that you judge yourself harshly, I reckon. I find it equally irritating that Rich Archer has a lot to say, writes well-received songs and all many “fans” comment on is how “hot” Rich Archer is. Anyone who chooses outer appearance as a means to ciriticise/idolise has a very warped view of the world and unfortunately that seems to apply to most people. I bet you’re an ugly m-f’er anyway. This bloke is f’ing beautiful. I’m from the same town and have seen him enough to know he looks really nice, you jealous TWAT, but I don’t see why that is relevant to his music. What’s he s’posed to do – not create his dreams ‘cos he’s worried some minger like you might not like his face too much?
Here’s a tip for you poor, bitter souls: give people a break – let em be – no matter how cool you are about your music. It’s so much easier than tying your soul up in knots, ‘cos people are freely doing what they want to do, regardless of hatred from others like you. The world’s big enough for all of us to do what we really want to do (so I suppose that includes writing hateful comments about artists!) and essentially, out of all mainstream bands/artists I know from Britain, HF are probably amongst the most down to earth, humorous, caring, cool and aware of reality. Them and Paul Weller, that is.
PS. The second album is a “grower”. It’s better with every play.