Album of the Week - Darren Hayes 'Spin'
(Capital FM - Week of March 26)

Darren Hayes waves goodbye to his Savage Garden days with ‘Spin’, an album packed with more soulful classics like ‘Insatiable’ and some distinctly 1980’s influences. It's Our Album of the Week Because... If you loved the single ‘Insatiable’, it’s just a taster of the pop flair of the singer, songwriter and musician who is Darren Hayes. ‘Insatiable’ has been getting heavy play since late last year but its Darren’s first outing as an album solo artist that his fans have been waiting for.

Best Tracks

As a teenager of the 1980’s, Hayes’ has confessed that he has been heavily influenced by the work of Michael Jackson, Prince and Stevie Wonder. And, from the sexy and provocative opening of ‘Strange Relationship’ to the last bars of the title track ‘Spin’ it’s not hard to imagine a 13-year old Darren in his bedroom listening to Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ album. On ‘Heart Attack’ Darren sounds eearily similar to the great MJ and the soulful ballads ‘I Miss You’ and ‘I Can’t Ever Get Enough of You’ are just as good, if not better than the worldwide smash ‘Truly, Madly, Deeply’. Not to be missed is ‘Crush’, a colourful tribute to 1983 - Darren’s favourite year. One listen and happy memories of Miami Vice, Wham and body-popping at your school disco will come flooding back.

Tracks to Skip

At over six minutes, the tinny electro-drum beats of ‘Good Enough’ go on for a bit too long and on ‘Dirty’, Darren takes the strangulated Michael Jackson ‘ooohs’ and ‘aaaahs’ that little bit too far. This isn’t ‘Stars In Their Eyes’.

Overall Verdict

It’s hard to pick fault with ‘Spin’ without causing a messageboard meltdown but the fact is, Darren Hayes is just not cool. But, he is a great songwriter who creates some fantastic songs and melodies that will appeal to fans craving a bit of old school pop. There are times when ‘Spin’s’ nostalgic trip into the decade of Thriller and Live Aid are more Kajagoogoo than ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go Go’ but that doesn’t stop it from being an engaging offering from the ex-Savage Garden star. Now, where’s my ra-ra skirt….