The Tension and
the Spark
Darren
Hayes
(Columbia/Sony)
Christine
Sams
The Sun Herald-September 12,
2004
Before speaking to Darren Hayes
about the making
of this new CD,
I listened to a pre-release copy of
his
album, on my own with no preconceptions.
I
won't forget those goosebumps in a
hurry. This
music heralds a
bold return for Hayes - after his
false
step with Spin - for two main reasons: the
pop
songs are captivating (and well
structured) and
Hayes has dared
to be a little dirtier. Amid the
sexy
mirth of singles including
Popular, there is a
self -concious,
depressed mood in tracks such as
Darkness and Feel. Dublin Sky, a song written
by
Hayes, is pure Savage Garden. But
listeners will be
surprised by
other tracks including I Forgive
You,
with its jungle electro-feel and
Haye's voice
effortlessly
shifting from a deep, raunchy intro
to
the falsetto lyric of "I feeel
sooo high". The final
song Ego
provides the only low note on the CD,
because it overstretches Hayes' point
about
celebrity (complete with a faux
British accent).
But for pop
lovers, this album is a genuine
treat.
//
