Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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38 of 41 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
UNEXPECTED AND UNBELEIVABLE!!!!!!!!!!!, October 12, 2004
From the first time i heard "To The Moon And Back" i knew there was something special about Darren Hayes-with or without Savage Garden.The SPIN album had it's moments, but i was disapointed. Although it did contain,"Insatiable", hands down the best love song ever, i felt like Darren Hayes was capable of better. Upon receiving The Tension and The Spark, I WAS BLOWN AWAY!!! I've had it for a week and i can't get over how flawless and percectly crafted this album is. I love electronic music, but it can be cold. But with Darren's beautiful vocals and deep, deep lyrics this album warms my heart. That's the best way i can describe it. This is my favorite album in years. And I can't remember the last time an album affected me as much as this did. I can relate to it whole heartatly, as i'm sure many will. Yes, it's dark, but at the same time it makes you feel really good. There are so many standout tracks here. "dublin sky" and "feel" are beautiful ballads-(can you expect anything less from the man who brought you truly, madly, deeply?)--"darkness" is haunting and maybe the best song on the album. Are you ready to dance?--no problem with that here. "hero", "i like the way", "popular" definetely get you going. and for those of you that miss Savage Garden, take a listen to "Love & Attraction"- it sounds very similar to "tears of Pearls" from the first SG album. and we all remember how hot that song was. do yourselves a favor and get this cd. this is what great music is about. the emotions of the good and bad in our lives- and everything in between.
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24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Darren Redeems Himself With This Suprisingly Deep Album, November 10, 2004
I loved Savage Garden and after hearing Darren's last solo album and not really liking what I heard I decided to give Darren another chance...and boy am I glad I did. This album is full of intuitive, insightful, deep, honest, and personal lyrics and great beats. Many of the songs are quite bitter and edgy, but that's exactly my kind of music. Ever since Alanis went all happy on me there's been something missing in my life...not anymore, lol. The album does vary and there are a couple ballads of course. I don't care much for the first single "Popular", but that's oddly the only song I don't care for. Some songs seem like they were ripped directly from my brain, like the songs "Love And Attraction" and "Void". I must also say that Darren is both sounding and looking his very best right now. Keep up the good work! This CD is worth its weight in gold and is in regular rotation in my player.
It's a shame that this album was a limited release; It was never released in the US, but is well worth the import price. It's an even bigger shame that such an amazing and critically acclaimed album fails to gain mass appeal.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Darren's Best so Far, September 15, 2004
As this singer himself once said, "my, how things have changed...". Flashback to 2002, when Darren's first solo album, "Spin," came out - many were quick to believe that he'd have no problem recreating the success of previous Savage Garden albums. But apart from constantly clever lyrics and a few memorable harmonies, "Spin" was a self-indulging production that disappointed most. As a result, now, Darren's new album, "The Tension and the Spark" is not released in the States and at this time, there are no promises on that happening any time soon.
That is sad because if you're not listening to this superb offering, you are missing out on what is easily one of the year's absolute best albums. Normally, in today's music world, at least 5-6 years and 1-2 satisfactory albums would have occurred between "Spin" and "The Tension...". But in fact, it's only been about 2 years. It is that high of a creative leap that Darren has made.
Gone are the pre-fabricated beats and the tired ballads. In place of those, Darren boldly brings forth an outstanding effort with incredible results. The provocative, almost intellectual lyrics have come to be expected from this singer/songwriter, but perhaps what impresses the most on this album is the musical arrangement. Collaborating with some of the most cutting-edge producers, Darren has created what would resemble a sort of male version of a quasi-melancholy, quasi-upbeat, REMIXED Sarah McLachlan, a type of sound that is catchy, sexy and pervasive while never losing its ability to elicit genuine sensations. On this album, this gifted performer has finally found the perfect "packaging" for his trademark voice. Not since certain sporadic moments during Savage Garden days, has Darren Hayes sounded so in shape, so personal, and so hip.
In addition to that, the album is positively overflowing with first rate music, in the sense of rhythm and melody. Pieces such as "Dublin Sky," "I Like the Way," "Hero" and "Unlovable" are the type of songs that normally would be used to promote a different album each one of them. Nowadays, pop albums simply don't come packed with so many gems anymore. From that perspective, but also because it has incredible coherence (i.e. this album, as a whole, tells a story), and because it is magnificently creative, "The Tension..." is a contradiction in terms. It captures the best of pop, yet it opposes all of its superficiality.
Judging from this album, Darren is clearly going places. My only hope, as an avid listener of good music, is that we may join him on his future rides. Pick this album up - this music *does* take you places. And how often can you say that about anything else on the mainstream market these days?
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