Darren Hayes: Spin
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Spin is Darren Hayes first album since
leaving Savage Garden. Under the direction of producer Walter Afanasieff (Mariah Carey,
Michael Jackson) who would expect a polished album and that's exactly what you get.
Afanasieff recycles many of the signature sounds that helped make his former projects
platinum successes into the Spin formula (not that Hayes needs a new sound after selling
20 million albums with Savage Garden). Spin is precision Pop, opening with the first two singles "Strange Relationship" and "Insatiable". Both songs border on ballads and don't really set you up for the real thrill of the album. Hayes best bits are when he tackles R&B head on, an interesting position for the Brisbane boy to find himself in. The uptempo tracks are the most creative although Affansieff has his stamp well and truly across the formula. "Heart Attack" for instance is where Michael Jackson should have been with Invincible. (In fact, a lot of this record rights Jacksons wrongs). When you talk about an act like Hayes, no expense is spared. The Orchestra is wheeled in for the rumba sounding "Creepin'". "Dirty" is an outright thriller and "Crush (1980 Me)" is a cross between disco and the Savage Garden "I Want You" sound. Rick Nowels, who has worked with Mel C, Stevie Nicks, Dido, Ronan Keating and Jimmy Barnes co-wrote four of the songs. "I Can't Ever Get Enough Of You", "Like It Or Not" and "What I Like" make up a triple play of Nowels works with the latter being another uptempo melody like the earlier "Creepin'". The title track "Spin" is another hot AC number. Hayes is like another instrument on this album taking a few leaps ahead of what Savage Garden was. The sounds is sharp. This is not a Savage Garden record. Bonus track on the
Australian pressing is "The Heart Wants What It Wants". by Hector the Rock Dog Track Listing |