Gordon Haskell belongs on the same shelf as Roger Whittaker, Gordon Lightfoot and Kris Kristofferson. That’s the shelf for senior-citizen pop stars, where experienced idols gather to reminisce about the babes they pulled, and porked, along the way.
Ageing pop stars all seem to have the same fantasy: of being the lonely muso playing solo in a late-night dive, singing about heartbreak and loss. With this point of reference in mind, Haskell called his new (the first in three decades) album Harry’s Bar (Warner). The barfly milieu is no fantasy for Haskell, who is well acquainted with life’s ups and downs. He breezed out of the Seventies — after playing with Jimi Hendrix and King Crimson — into complete obscurity.
Then last Christmas saw Haskell’s return when, against all odds he topped the British charts with the first song on his album, How Wonderful You Are. At the end of last year, BBC2 reported, the number became the most requested song to date to have been aired.
So what’s it really like? Sad and mundane. Haskell’s voice is rich and warm and, like his graying beard and deep, dark eyes, reflective of the hard road of life. How Wonderful You Are smoulders along smoothly, and there are some tracks that would appeal to the new generation that has resurrected R&B.
In general, Haskell has proven that you don’t have to be young, you just have to stay cool.
Darren Hayes – Spin (Sony)
Having walked away from Aussie hit machine Savage Garden, Hayes now sails solo in the world of pop — and it’s fair weather all the way. Here are 12 tracks, all written by Hayes, all near-perfect pop songs with catchy melodies and easy-on-the-ear orchestration. Hit ballad Insatiable features a full string section; Crush (1980 Me) would have made Stock, Aiken and Waterman proud with its retro sound; and so it continues. Don’t expect ground-breaking work: it’s just popcorn for the ears. — Riaan Wolmarans
Starskii – Communate (Independent)
Two members of erstwhile South African pop-punk outfit Amersham, Adam Lomas and Nathan Waywell, have reunited to create Starskii, a project they have been mercilessly promoting in the way that all new bands should, but rarely do. The album, released independently and including pictures and video material, mostly has a dreamy, acoustic pop sound; lightweight but not unimpressive. Different influences and sounds surface in places: there’s the jungle-like rhythms on Bhavatu Sabba Mangala (May All Beings Be Happy); hit single Did You See It Coming? nudges into a harder rock sound; The Beautiful Thingz shifts into a foot-tapping uptempo beat. The lyrics are mostly perceptive and well-considered, such as those on Ecstasy, an ambient track accompanied by sublime percussion. Designer Brandon Barnard deserves a mention for the impressive sleeve design. The title of the album refers to communicating without prejudice; one can certainly listen without prejudice and enjoy this valiant debut effort. — Riaan Wolmarans