Effigy's second album, Century Collapsing is a year in the life of Effigy, a furtive though disruptive time.
It was a year which saw their original and some-had-said integral bass player Annie Beckerling leave and Cobina Crawford step into the role, combined with a moderate backlash against said makeover and an obvious struggle trying to come to terms with their image - gothic? punk? androgyny? True, Century Collapsing is both loud and soft, visually lush in its artwork and grab bag of spot-on pop, much like the debut, but this time the grandiose power runs like a thick vein throughout the trip and is not simply flecked here and there. Suspicion Bells, the first single from the album, is truly a reflection of the album as a whole, a consolidation which will finally make all the previous flightiness worthwhile.
"The first album was pretty much worked out on the live circuit," says Hardman with a little drop in the level of his voice. "What I did this time was keep my songwriting a secret, worked it out in my bedroom and just brought it along to some rehearsals a month before we were set to go back in the studio." This introspection is evident on Century Collapsing - even though Hardman is the single songwriter on both albums.
They are familiar tales for those who embraced tracks like Lovers, I Give In and I Remember Nothing from the debut - dark takes on the relationship quandary and, with possibly the greatest quality that Effigy fans embrace, the androgyny of Hardman's voice and lyrics which find ground for all sexes. The opening track Heart Disease is another perfect example of his vocal expression - half whispered, a little violent in the guitar-driven bits, right through to the broken, girlie squeal of the closing seconds. Then comes Caught (the mooted second single) with the 80s-style New Romantic hand claps railroading into a wicked guitar pop and glorious chorus-driven song, the themes this time of a strong-willed break-up. If Something's Gonna End is another empowering track: happier, bouncing and introducing the harmonica into proceedings.
"The harmonica isn't exactly part of the indie rock ideal is it?" Hardman asks of his new found fondness for the 'ol campfire tool which also gets a guernsey on Suspicion Bells. But Century Collapsing isn't exactly yer traditional indie rock album. Its lush use of keys and pianos, slide guitars and assorted bleeps is a full experience ‹ more than a three course meal really. One of those albums that you put on your bedroom stereo while your face is planted deep in a pillow to soak up sobbing and tears.
"I'm really happy with Rose Thorns, the big guitar epic thing. I hope people will like that. And one of my favourites is the last track Civilised - it's just so... out there... it shunts between stop/start stuff and some weird German cabaret music."
I'm hoping it will freak a lot of people out," he says with a smirk in his voice. "It is one track which will polarise opinion. Reviewers will probably say [adopt US accent here] 'I like the pop stuff but Christ, it's pretentious as all fuck'."