The London band Hard-Fi combines the swagger of Oasis with the pop genius of Smashmouth and managed to impress with their debut album Stars Of CCTV (2005). Two years later, the successor appears and it is time to assess the shelf life of this umpteenth English 'sweet of the week'. Once Upon A Time In The West radiates in everything - album title, artwork - that we shouldn't take the band too seriously.
We certainly don't do that with obtrusive, melodic songs like I Shall Overcome and I Close My Eyes. Other songs immediately bring a good mood. Especially the opener Suburban Knight, decorated with a football choir, has everything it takes to grow into an anthem. Watch Me Fall Apart makes the most impression, it is no coincidence that one of the songs that gives us a glimpse behind the bravado of songwriter Richard Archer. (MS)more
