Kurt Hagardorn loves to play music. Simple as that. His album “Ten Singles” is a relaxing series of songs that recall the great power pop influences of the past.The production is clean and perfectly done here. On first listen it is a nice Beatlesque Alt. Country album in the early Wilco vein, but after a few listens it really grows on you. It opens with the excellent Beach Boys’ Holland-era single “International Travel Advisory.” Then the Neil Young-ish “You are my Girl” follows. It’s got a wonderful chorus that recalls You Am I’s countrified power pop. “Please Make it Last” is the best song Harry Nillson never wrote and a real standout as well. The Badfinger comparisons are most apt on “Rock Scissors Paper” a rollocking number with awesome riff work. The style takes a more contemporary spin with “Leanne” – a wonderful song with more of an electric sound, and great lyrics about losing the girl. Most every track here is really good, and the stories on even the slower ballads remain interesting. Recorded between 2000 and 2006, Kurt has given us the cream of his crop here. It feels like a carefully handcrafted project and you couldn’t ask for more than that.
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Listen to “You Are My Girl”