You know Darren Hayes. He was in Savage Garden. No, wait! Come back! Because quite unexpectedly, after 2002's underwhelming solo debut Spin, Hayes's second solo project is lyrically breathtaking and musically brilliant.

Lead single 'Popular' sets things up perfectly: it takes a sideways glance at M's 'Pop Muzik' and throws up a sharp, funny and aggressive satire on the pop industry ('I'm willing to sleep my way to the top/ I want to be pop!... ular/ I don't want to keep my feet on the ground'). Elsewhere we find songs like 'Hero' and 'Darkness' ('So much time underground/ I guess my eyes adjusted to the lack of light') seeming to address, quite bluntly, Darren's experiences either of fame, or of love, or of both at once, with a voice quite unlike that of Hayes' singer/ songwriting peers.

And while the lyrics may suggest an unusual departure for the man whose key role in the global pop pantheon is most often linked with the schmaltz of Savage Garden hits like 'Truly, Madly, Deeply', even more unexpected is how this album sounds. Written and produced by Hayes, 'The Tension and the Spark' is a brave foray into subtle, mellow electronica. Even the ballads sound interesting. Parts of the production hint at Fischerspooner and Kylie's 'Slow', which may strike those familiar with Hayes's existing fanbase as being a foolhardy leap. And yet, the melodies remain. Indeed this album is no folly and succeeds, often to the point of all-out triumph, on its own terms.
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They gave it three stars out of five [img]smile.gif[/img]

Michelle

xx