Hefner - Maida Vale

Millennium concert outing from non-Hugh Hefner

Since they disbanded, Hefner releases have come thick and fast, with Darren Hayman clearing unreleased recordings out of his musical attic and compiling a career-encompassing best of. Their armoury ranged from lo-fi rock to Cash Converters electronics, and with John Peel as a fan, it came as no surprise when they recorded live at the BBC’s Maida Vale Studio 4 in August 2000. With Peel in attendance, the band (augmented with a brass section, violin and even a ukulele) paraded through material from their (then) new album, We Love The City. The Greedy Ugly People, The Greater London Radio and The Cure For Evil all delight the assembled crowd, and this meal was washed down with the likes of The Sad Witch and Don’t Flake Out On Me. With only 10 tracks, this CD is on the short side, but many of the songs were never performed live with such lush arrangements, so it’s a good trade off for Hefner die-hards. After a break for Christmas turkey, Hayman promises to return, burnishing his solo career and continuing with his remaster of the entire Hefner back catalogue. Eeek!

Belka | HEF CD03

Reviewed by Ian Shirley
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