Hard-Fi: 'I Shall Overcome'

Hard-Fi's Once Upon A Time In The West LP has already spawned the ska-rock stomp of 'Suburban Knights' and shimmering Motown splendour of 'Can't Get Along (Without You)'. Now the Staines genre-hoppers are having a stab at gospel. Alright, it still features the usual snarling cockney vocals, cut-throat guitar riffs and chest-beating chorus, but behind all that lies a soaring, soulful heart that belies the band's usual bravado.

Lyrically, Archer appears to be thumbing the same notebook he used on the band's debut album, Stars of CCTV: cliched metaphors like "dirty towns", "pouring rain" and "shining suns" sound like they've been scraped from the back of Noel Gallagher's wheelie bin. Fortunately, Hard-Fi make up for their lyrical ineptitude with yet another cracking tune, as acoustic guitars duel it out with blasts of melodica and honey-soaked harmonies to gorgeous effect. The result is probably the band's most accomplished track to date.


> Click here to watch the 'I Shall Overcome' video