This Delicate Thing We've Made (2 CDS)

Darren Hayes

Darren Hayes is not only one of the finest (if not most underrated) singers and songwriters of our generation, he is also a master of reinvention. 'This Delicate Thing We've Made' is released on Hayes' own label, Powdered Sugar, and is the record he has wanted to make for years. Now he is his own boss, he's doing everything his own way. Bizarrely, it's the most commercial-sounding thing he's ever done. His old record label, Columbia, must be kicking themselves.

The album is a double-disc pop opus. It is a deeply felt, moving, and joyous celebration of life and of pop music. Though the tracks vary in style and genre, often deliberately sequenced so as to draw attention to their differences ("Setting Sun" followed by "A Hundred Challenging Things" is one of the most dramatic changes of mood I've ever heard), together they form a whole that is one of the most enjoyable and one of the most intelligent pop albums of the last decade.

It seems inspired by, and certainly deserves to be regarded alongside, albums such as Madonna's 'Ray of Light', U2's 'Achtung Baby', Prince's 'LoveSexy', and Peter Gabriel's 'So'. There are musical nods to these artists, and others.

In terms of style, there is pure pop celebration here, in the form of songs like "Listen All You People", "Tuning of Violins" and the first single "On the Verge..." "Casey" proves that melancholy, yearning lyrics don't have to be stuck on ballads, but can be sung over up-tempo synth-pop to heart-wrenching effect. In tracks like "Bombs Up in My Face" and "Me, Myself and (I)" Hayes is channeling Prince at his funkiest best.

To be honest, any 11 of the tracks could have been released as an album, and would have made a great record. But by giving himself room to explore musical avenues, develop his themes, and (dare one say it) nudge the whole thing towards being a concept record. Hayes has managed to craft an album of intricate narratives and personal confessions that simultaneously document his arrival at peace within himself. He has created something that really demands to be listened to, that hooks you and completely seduces you.

The UK's NME Magazine called him a genius. They weren't wrong.

This Delicate Thing We've Made (2 CDS) Album: