With the ever creeping stagnation of the rock music genre, many long term fans fear the eventual collapse of rock into the dark abyss of mediocrity. However, amidst the dreary and unimaginative offerings of Kings of Leon and Nickelback, to name but a few, there is renewed hope.
Christened by critics as the new ‘Prince’, Darren Hart, known by his stage name Harts, has brought new life to the dance-rock genre made so popular by artists such as Prince in the late 80s and 90s. His simple blend of bass and groove driven tracks with funk guitar rhythms and face-melting guitar solos create a sound that has all the catchiness of a commercial-pop hit whilst maintaining the musicality and technicality of the guitar maestros of ages past.
Indeed, listening to Daydreamer, Harts first full album release, one immediately understands the Prince comparison. The upbeat tempos and heavy usage of synthesisers, as seen in tracks such as ‘Leavn It All Behind’ and ‘Angels Walk Below’ hark back to the golden age of disco whilst Harts demonstrates his rock pedigree in the ‘Black Keys’-esque ‘Red & Blue’. This combination of danceable disco-fodder with rough-riding rock was a hallmark of Prince’s musical style and Harts replicates it quite expertly.
But it is in his guitar work that the two appear most similar. Harts is undeniably an excellent guitarist as highlighted by the intricate rhythmic patterns and soaring solos that appear in almost every track on the album. The subtle mixture of fuzz and distortion produces a sound reminiscent of the finest Hendrix guitar work but remains restrained in a way that maintains the importance of melody and listenability. On top of his considerable guitar-playing talents, Harts also plays bass, keyboards and drums more than proficiently. In fact, every instrument on the album was played by him – a true one man act.
So I say to you rock fans, do not despair. Harts is here to stay.
Daydreamer (2014) is available to download from iTunes and Amazon mp3 Store.
~ Timothy May