Staff Reviews

Kid Harpoon - Once

Review by David Renshaw

The idea that Once will sell well enough to see Tom Hull eating anything but baked beans for the next 18 months would be funny if it wasn’t soul crushingly tragic.»

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having been holed up in la with legendary producer trevor horn over the winter of 2008/09, kid harpoon finally releases his debut album 'once'. recorded at trevor's studio in los angeles, 'once' is a record that, as even kid harpoon would agree, has been a long time coming. aided by musicians who have previously worked with everyone from bob dylan to metallica, kid harpoon has created an album that has a timeless quality. it is also an album that highlights kid harpoon's talent as a classic songwriter and composer. from the bustling rock 'n' roll of single 'back from beyond' to the gorgeous, heartfelt pean to a long lost relationship that is the album's title track and centrepiece, it's an album that delivers on the long held promise that kid harpoon has demonstrated since bursting on to the music scene. old favourites have also been given a new lease of life. 'colours' is now a string-drenched, world weary acoustic lament whilst 'death of a rose' is another dazzling example of the quality of his musicianship. 'childish dreaming' ends the album another old favourite, it sees kid harpoon, guitar in hand, asking "why is this yours? / why wasn't it mine? / why do the clocks keep on ticking off time? / why are their nightmares? / and who made my shoes? / why are there children shedding blood on the news? safety in numbers my friend."
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