ARTIST: Hefner 
TITLE: Breaking God’s Heart
YEAR RELEASED: 1998
CHART ACTION: None
SINGLES: The Sweetness Lies Within (#171 UK), Love Will Destroy Us in the End
OTHER SONGS YOU MAY KNOW: Not here. We didn’t get John Peel’s show
LINEUP: Darren Hayman, Antony Harding, John Morrison, Jack Hayder
WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT: Independent rock / folk band’s first album has promising songs, but suffers a bit from packing too much into them.
SOME WORDS, PHRASES AND CLAUSES ABOUT THIS RECORD: Hefner was an outfit that drew from the traditions of folk, combining them with the burgeoning independent rock scene in the UK, and crafted songs as wordy as Elvis Costello’s early work with spare sounding arrangements.
For those not devoted 100% to the band, that can create issues. While most all of their tracks show humor, and melody, only a few have memorable hooks that allow them to stand out, letting the rest recede into the background where they’re blurred together with others.
My best advice is listen to the first few tracks. If you’re in, you’ll know. I’m still on the fence myself, long term.
NOTES & MINUTIAE: John Peel, famous BBC DJ, took a real shine to them and they were on the show constantly.
IS THERE A DELUXE VERSION: Yes. The always had EPs between albums, and stand alone singles. Those bonus tracks illustrate their weaknesses more than play to their strengths.
GRADE: B-: I get it, and I’m kind of on the train, but some of their stuff is just flat.
