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On the consummately enjoyable Hello Stranger, his first full-length release following on the heels of his Australian breakthrough EP, Early Days, Darren Hanlon delivers the logical follow-up, further refining his impressively accomplished pop hooks and lyrical wit. This is a perfectly vibrant mix, with the arrangements crackling with a live intensity and musical looseness, and Hanlon proves himself a songwriter and tunesmith clearly in the line of greats like Elvis Costello and Billy Bragg in his ability to pair memorable melodies with clever songwriting. Even with rather odd lyrical subjects, such as the man who invented the kickstand in the strangely earnest "The Kickstand Song," his songs rarely suffer from an overreaching sense of wistfulness. From start to finish, Hello Stranger rings out with a true buoyancy and ultimately rates as one of the rare jewels in a rather ho-hum season of singer/songwriter releases. Matt Fink - www.allmusic.com His observations are acute and the way in which he shapes his lyrics around sweet guitar melodies and rootsy instrumentation (banjo, pump organ, vibraphone), make such songs as 'Don't Cheat The Future' and 'The Kickstand Song' tunes you could hear over and over again. David Olivetti - Rolling Stone Darren Hanlon's debut album shines like a great star. There's something beautifully honest in the way he sings. There have been so many introspective songwriters of late with such idiosyncratic voices, that it's nice for a change to hear something so simple, so stripped back and pure. Matt Watson - Inpress Mag Darren Hanlon is the music industry's answer to Jerry Seinfeld. Well, almost. Darren doesn't wear tight jeans or white sneakers, and most definitely not at the same time. But like Seinfeld, it seems he can make just about anything funny. Take, for example, the third tune on Hanlon's debut album, Hello Stranger. With a chorus of, "What joy it'll bring, piece of metal and a spring, bolted down by the back wheel, activated by the heel," The Kickstand song must surely be the world's first musical ode to the often used, but rarely appreciated, motorcycle accessory. If you take one punt on an Australian artist this year, make sure it's on Darren Hanlon. Hello Stranger is an album you simply shouldn't be without. 5 out of 5. Nick Coppack - OzMusic Project 'Hello Stranger' marks the emergence of a major new Australian singer/songwriting talent. Get on board. Peter Strelan - dB Magazine Darren Hanlon's debut full-length consists of 10 pop songs that bring to mind the whimsical, light-hearted music of the 60s with a modern bent. This Australian singer/songwriter evokes images of Billy Bragg, Jonathan Richman, and Evan Dando, but he takes a more pure pop approach. Jeff - Delusions of Adequacy ...the best independently-released pop record of the fall may turn out to be the debut from a young Australian named Darren Hanlon. Bennett Yankey - Argonaut ...Hanlon is a truly gifted songwriter who deserves to be better known on these shores. Jon - http://www.stolenwine.co.uk His first full-length CD Hello Stranger is ten tracks of great storytelling, simply arranged to best serve the wit and naivety that resides within. These songs are long on clever yet maintain a simple charm by being infused with a winning naiveté. The overall effect is refreshing -- stimulating for the mind and easy on the ears. Hanlon focuses on details with admirable honesty -- this is music about things that are real, heartfelt without being sentimental, poignant and playful where others might get syrupy sweet. Treat yourself to the charms of Hello Stranger. Like much of what he writes about, Darren Hanlon's music is a simple pleasure. Gary Glauber - www.popmatters.com Darren Hanlon has an ear for a hook. Favoring familiarity over innovation, the jangly compositions on Hello Stranger are reminiscent of some of the best pop songs from the last twenty years. Hanlon's voice is surprisingly facile and his lyrics easy and unaffected. The articulate and spare arrangements of drums and strings -- in addition to the occasional piano or vibraphone -- give this all-acoustic album plenty of room to breathe. It's a deceptive debut, as Hanlon has been in and out of various projects in Australia and has already opened for Billy Bragg, Evan Dando and The Magnetic Fields, but it's remarkable nonetheless. Hanlon's bag of tricks is already quite full. Evanston Wade - Splendid Ezine Check out the artist's website: http://www.microindie.com Track List: 1. Hiccups 2. The Kickstand Song 3. That's How I Know 4. He Misses You Too, You Know 5. Operator...Get Me Sweden 6. Security Leak 7. Cast Of Thousands 8. Punk's Not Dead 9. Cheat the Future 10. The Last Night of Not Knowing You Suggested CDs:Other Genres:
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