Darren Hayman - January Songs - Belka - HEFCD12

Darren Hayman, a former John Peel favorite adept at addictive indie-jangles and precise writerly nuggets, has released thirty-one tracks, written and recorded at the rate of one a day throughout last January.

The double CD is stripped of the tang of arrogance by Hayman's obvious talent, and relative low-profile. Sleeve notes paint the punishing project as an attempt “to reject the creative spark” and focus on “hard work, resourcefulness and intelligence”, but January Songs' vast smorgasboard of tasteful and literate art pop merely emphasises Hayman's direct line to the muses.
The massed chorale “We're Tired Of Getting Dicked Around” is a “We Shall Not Be Moved” for the Occupy generation.

(29/1/12)