http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.7436838&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rssFrom Staines, an unfashionable London commuter town under the flight path of Heathrow Airport (it's the home of fictional gangsta Ali G) come tales of working class frustrations and ambition played to a Britpop soundtrack. With harmonicas honking like car horns and lyrics about ATMs, Hard-Fi's music never strays far from the streets. July 2005's debut album <I>Stars of CCTV</I> enjoyed both immediate commercial success and a nomination for 2005's Mercury Music Prize (an award designed to showcase the year's 12 best albums from UK and Irish artists) leading to inevitable comparisons between bandleader Richard Archer and the Streets' Mike Skinner, but also Pulp's Jarvis Cocker and --perhaps most accurately -- the Specials' Terry Hall. Whether or not the band go on to fulfill their early promise, this was the sound of the suburbs in England during the summer of 2005. - Neil WestBrit Rocken720Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:59:12 -0800 http://static.realone.com/rotw/images/logo_rhapsody_113x22.gif http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.7436838&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss From Staines, an unfashionable London commuter town under the flight path of Heathrow Airport (it's the home of fictional gangsta Ali G) come tales of working class frustrations and ambition played to a Britpop soundtrack. With harmonicas honking like car horns and lyrics about ATMs, Hard-Fi's music never strays far from the streets. July 2005's debut album <I>Stars of CCTV</I> enjoyed both immediate commercial success and a nomination for 2005's Mercury Music Prize (an award designed to showcase the year's 12 best albums from UK and Irish artists) leading to inevitable comparisons between bandleader Richard Archer and the Streets' Mike Skinner, but also Pulp's Jarvis Cocker and --perhaps most accurately -- the Specials' Terry Hall. Whether or not the band go on to fulfill their early promise, this was the sound of the suburbs in England during the summer of 2005. - Neil West http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354914&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss Brit Rock Fri, 31 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Hard-Fi on Rhapsody Online 16354914 tra.16354914 Hard-Fi art.7436838 1.29 Once Upon A Time In The West alb.16346512 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/3/7/7/5/1495773_170x170.jpg 2007-10-23 00:00:00.0 2007-08-31 00:00:00.0 true Suburban Knights tra.16354914 274000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354914&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354914&variant=data&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7457430&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss Brit Rock Tue, 12 Jul 2005 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Hard-Fi on Rhapsody Online 7457430 tra.7457430 Hard-Fi art.7436838 1.29 Cash Machine alb.7439742 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/5/4/3/3/1273345_170x170.jpg 2005-07-12 00:00:00.0 2005-07-12 00:00:00.0 true Cash Machine (Album Version) tra.7457430 222000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7457430&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7457430&variant=data&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414070&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss Brit Rock Tue, 14 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Hard-Fi on Rhapsody Online 9414070 tra.9414070 Hard-Fi art.7436838 0.99 Stars of CCTV alb.9408758 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/5/8/6/1/1721685_170x170.jpg 2006-03-14 00:00:00.0 2006-03-14 00:00:00.0 true Hard To Beat tra.9414070 255000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414070&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414070&variant=data&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414066&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss Brit Rock Tue, 14 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Hard-Fi on Rhapsody Online 9414066 tra.9414066 Hard-Fi art.7436838 0.99 Stars of CCTV alb.9408758 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/5/8/6/1/1721685_170x170.jpg 2006-03-14 00:00:00.0 2006-03-14 00:00:00.0 true Cash Machine tra.9414066 224000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414066&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414066&variant=data&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414067&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss Brit Rock Tue, 14 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Hard-Fi on Rhapsody Online 9414067 tra.9414067 Hard-Fi art.7436838 0.99 Stars of CCTV alb.9408758 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/5/8/6/1/1721685_170x170.jpg 2006-03-14 00:00:00.0 2006-03-14 00:00:00.0 true Middle Eastern Holiday tra.9414067 224000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414067&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414067&variant=data&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414069&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss Brit Rock Tue, 14 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Hard-Fi on Rhapsody Online 9414069 tra.9414069 Hard-Fi art.7436838 0.99 Stars of CCTV alb.9408758 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/5/8/6/1/1721685_170x170.jpg 2006-03-14 00:00:00.0 2006-03-14 00:00:00.0 true Gotta Reason tra.9414069 169000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414069&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414069&variant=data&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414075&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss Brit Rock Tue, 14 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Hard-Fi on Rhapsody Online 9414075 tra.9414075 Hard-Fi art.7436838 0.99 Stars of CCTV alb.9408758 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/5/8/6/1/1721685_170x170.jpg 2006-03-14 00:00:00.0 2006-03-14 00:00:00.0 true Living For The Weekend tra.9414075 222000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414075&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414075&variant=data&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414072&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss Brit Rock Tue, 14 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Hard-Fi on Rhapsody Online 9414072 tra.9414072 Hard-Fi art.7436838 0.99 Stars of CCTV alb.9408758 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/5/8/6/1/1721685_170x170.jpg 2006-03-14 00:00:00.0 2006-03-14 00:00:00.0 true Move On Now tra.9414072 309000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414072&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414072&variant=data&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414071&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss Brit Rock Tue, 14 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Hard-Fi on Rhapsody Online 9414071 tra.9414071 Hard-Fi art.7436838 0.99 Stars of CCTV alb.9408758 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/5/8/6/1/1721685_170x170.jpg 2006-03-14 00:00:00.0 2006-03-14 00:00:00.0 true Unnecessary Trouble tra.9414071 224000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414071&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414071&variant=data&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354915&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss Brit Rock Fri, 31 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Hard-Fi on Rhapsody Online 16354915 tra.16354915 Hard-Fi art.7436838 0.99 Once Upon A Time In The West alb.16346512 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/3/7/7/5/1495773_170x170.jpg 2007-10-23 00:00:00.0 2007-08-31 00:00:00.0 true I Shall Overcome tra.16354915 256000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354915&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354915&variant=data&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414068&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss Brit Rock Tue, 14 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Hard-Fi on Rhapsody Online 9414068 tra.9414068 Hard-Fi art.7436838 0.99 Stars of CCTV alb.9408758 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/5/8/6/1/1721685_170x170.jpg 2006-03-14 00:00:00.0 2006-03-14 00:00:00.0 true Tied Up Too Tight tra.9414068 288000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414068&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414068&variant=data&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354916&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss Brit Rock Fri, 31 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Hard-Fi on Rhapsody Online 16354916 tra.16354916 Hard-Fi art.7436838 0.99 Once Upon A Time In The West alb.16346512 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/3/7/7/5/1495773_170x170.jpg 2007-10-23 00:00:00.0 2007-08-31 00:00:00.0 true Tonight tra.16354916 235000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354916&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354916&variant=data&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414076&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss Brit Rock Tue, 14 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Hard-Fi on Rhapsody Online 9414076 tra.9414076 Hard-Fi art.7436838 0.99 Stars of CCTV alb.9408758 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/5/8/6/1/1721685_170x170.jpg 2006-03-14 00:00:00.0 2006-03-14 00:00:00.0 true Stars Of CCTV tra.9414076 238000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414076&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414076&variant=data&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354919&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss Brit Rock Fri, 31 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Hard-Fi on Rhapsody Online 16354919 tra.16354919 Hard-Fi art.7436838 0.99 Once Upon A Time In The West alb.16346512 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/3/7/7/5/1495773_170x170.jpg 2007-10-23 00:00:00.0 2007-08-31 00:00:00.0 true Television tra.16354919 221000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354919&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354919&variant=data&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354918&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss Brit Rock Fri, 31 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Hard-Fi on Rhapsody Online 16354918 tra.16354918 Hard-Fi art.7436838 0.99 Once Upon A Time In The West alb.16346512 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/3/7/7/5/1495773_170x170.jpg 2007-10-23 00:00:00.0 2007-08-31 00:00:00.0 true I Close My Eyes tra.16354918 145000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354918&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354918&variant=data&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354911&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss Brit Rock Fri, 31 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Hard-Fi on Rhapsody Online 16354911 tra.16354911 Hard-Fi art.7436838 0.99 Once Upon A Time In The West alb.16346512 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/3/7/7/5/1495773_170x170.jpg 2007-10-23 00:00:00.0 2007-08-31 00:00:00.0 true We Need Love tra.16354911 243000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354911&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354911&variant=data&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414074&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss Brit Rock Tue, 14 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Hard-Fi on Rhapsody Online 9414074 tra.9414074 Hard-Fi art.7436838 0.99 Stars of CCTV alb.9408758 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/5/8/6/1/1721685_170x170.jpg 2006-03-14 00:00:00.0 2006-03-14 00:00:00.0 true Feltham Is Singing Out tra.9414074 276000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414074&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414074&variant=data&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414073&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss Brit Rock Tue, 14 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Hard-Fi on Rhapsody Online 9414073 tra.9414073 Hard-Fi art.7436838 0.99 Stars of CCTV alb.9408758 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/5/8/6/1/1721685_170x170.jpg 2006-03-14 00:00:00.0 2006-03-14 00:00:00.0 true Better Do Better tra.9414073 277000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414073&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9414073&variant=data&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354912&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss Brit Rock Fri, 31 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Hard-Fi on Rhapsody Online 16354912 tra.16354912 Hard-Fi art.7436838 0.99 Once Upon A Time In The West alb.16346512 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/3/7/7/5/1495773_170x170.jpg 2007-10-23 00:00:00.0 2007-08-31 00:00:00.0 true Little Angel tra.16354912 171000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354912&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354912&variant=data&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7457433&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss Brit Rock Tue, 12 Jul 2005 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Hard-Fi on Rhapsody Online 7457433 tra.7457433 Hard-Fi art.7436838 0.99 Cash Machine alb.7439742 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/5/4/3/3/1273345_170x170.jpg 2005-07-12 00:00:00.0 2005-07-12 00:00:00.0 true Seven Nation Army tra.7457433 254000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7457433&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7457433&variant=data&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354920&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss Brit Rock Fri, 31 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Hard-Fi on Rhapsody Online 16354920 tra.16354920 Hard-Fi art.7436838 0.99 Once Upon A Time In The West alb.16346512 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/3/7/7/5/1495773_170x170.jpg 2007-10-23 00:00:00.0 2007-08-31 00:00:00.0 true Help Me Please tra.16354920 192000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354920&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354920&variant=data&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354910&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss Brit Rock Fri, 31 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Hard-Fi on Rhapsody Online 16354910 tra.16354910 Hard-Fi art.7436838 0.99 Once Upon A Time In The West alb.16346512 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/3/7/7/5/1495773_170x170.jpg 2007-10-23 00:00:00.0 2007-08-31 00:00:00.0 true Can't Get Along [Without You] tra.16354910 177000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354910&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354910&variant=data&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354913&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss Brit Rock Fri, 31 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Hard-Fi on Rhapsody Online 16354913 tra.16354913 Hard-Fi art.7436838 0.99 Once Upon A Time In The West alb.16346512 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/3/7/7/5/1495773_170x170.jpg 2007-10-23 00:00:00.0 2007-08-31 00:00:00.0 true The King tra.16354913 195000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354913&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354913&variant=data&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7457432&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss Brit Rock Tue, 12 Jul 2005 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Hard-Fi on Rhapsody Online 7457432 tra.7457432 Hard-Fi art.7436838 0.99 Cash Machine alb.7439742 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/5/4/3/3/1273345_170x170.jpg 2005-07-12 00:00:00.0 2005-07-12 00:00:00.0 true Sick Of It All tra.7457432 195000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7457432&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7457432&variant=data&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354917&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss Brit Rock Fri, 31 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Hard-Fi on Rhapsody Online 16354917 tra.16354917 Hard-Fi art.7436838 0.99 Once Upon A Time In The West alb.16346512 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/3/7/7/5/1495773_170x170.jpg 2007-10-23 00:00:00.0 2007-08-31 00:00:00.0 true Watch Me Fall Apart tra.16354917 171000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354917&variant=play&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16354917&variant=data&rws=%2Fhard-fi%2Ftop-tracks.rss