:: Hard-Fi - Hard To Beat

Hard-Fi

‘Hard to Beat’ had hit written all over it from the moment singer Richard Archer penned the lyric “oooh yeah, girl you’ve got something I liiiike”. The lads hail from Staines in West London and have picked-up where Oasis left off, releasing one hook-laden rock anthem after another. ‘Hard to Beat’ showcases their trademark style; dub beats mixed with synths, and hard-hitting guitar riffs. Archer’s gruff vocals drip with sweat and pent-up aggression. This disc is worth a spin, if only for the novelty value of hearing a band confident (or foolhardy) enough to cover The White Stripes' instant classic ‘Seven Nation Army’. The track is accompanied by the eerie echoe of Archer’s Melodica (a handheld instrument that is a cross between a keyboard and a harmonica), and has a menacing quality that never registered in Jack White’s original.