Ok eveyone here knows how big of a DH fan I am.... I loved Savage Garden and was so/so on his first solo album SPIN (as a lot of songs just sounded under produced and blah)… his followup to that album The Tension and The Spark was one of my most favorite cds over the past 2 1/2 years as I listen to it front to back on a regular basis. Fast forward to his new album This Delicate Thing We’ve Made which is his new double cd album and is released on his own label on 8/21 I was able to hear an advanced copy (already purchased my retail copy)… Overall there are some absolutely amazing songs on this album, however, the majority of the songs just feel… odd. I don’t know what it is… I haven’t been able to place it yet… But I will talk about the amazing songs first…
1. Casey not just because its my name but this song is sooooooooo emotionally powerful and beautiful I listen to this song on repeat for hours, my iTunes is about done with me and that song. This is quite possibly one of the best songs ever written.
2. Neverland WOW this is a DARK DARK DARK song however, the music makes it feel very epic/soaring and almost fairytale like. I see a ballet of some sort being choreographed to this song.
3. Step into the Light was released as a promo single a while back and this song still has legs and still is a fantastic song that I have listened to the majority of my summer and the terrific Dave pezza remix at the gym.
4. A Conversation with god. Fantastic story telling / lyrics and the hook just takes control of your soul and you feel like letting go of whatever you are doing. This is one of those songs to listen to when its raining and you’re driving on the expressway (however, don’t take the chorus lyrics literally).
5. Listen All you People is an ANTHEM if I have ever heard one, more so than Affirmation was this song is definitley screaming for some club mixes. I could do without some of the “oOo whooo hooo ooohh’s” though.. but whatev.
6. Sing To Me has a fantastic vocal performance / melody and definitley will be a “lighters in the air” song at his tour.
7. A Fear of falling under. Opening track to the first disc and it sets a tone. Ambient, dark, hopeful, uncertain. I love it.
8. Who Would have Thought - Again an amazing track that just has so much emotion and really speaks to me.
9. Bombs up in my face - FUN SONG. The vocal style (similar to that of a basement jaxx track) lyric/word play is great. Also has a fun hook/chorus. A litttle cheesy if listened to out of context to the rest of the album, but a different prince-esque track regardless of cheese it works. 
10. Walk Away - Boys 2 Men meet Imogen Heap… thats all i have to say. Fantastic all vocal production.
11. Me Myself and I - This is gonna be a huge single, his next one, I think. If its done right (video, promotion, remixes) it will be a smash. this is straight up 80’s prince inspired funk. Love it.
12. Words - A terrific song. Great songwriting and beautiful piano / vocal song. simple sweet and great.
13. The Tuning of Violins - A great ending to the album. Has a positive “overcome” anything feel and has a gorgeous string section playing (or possibly keyboard strings).
Out of the 26 songs that I heard from start to finish… only 13 of them really stand out as exceptional tracks. the other half are unfortunately throw away songs in my opinion. Some of the more experimental “concept” songs like Waking the monster should be terrific, however it just stays constant, the vocal doesn’t really do anything but hover in one location. How To build a Time Machine to me just sounds flat. everything about this song is just a miss in my opinion, i really had to skip it, i couldn’t finish listening to it. Maybe I hyped myself up to much for this album after hearing the songs that I heard expecting all 26 songs to be just as good or better. The majority of the other slow songs are just Darren singing a song over some electronics in the background, i really didn’t get into them… HOWEVER, I am going to listen to this album from start to finish (both cd’s) a few more times and will make an addendum’s to this review in the future.
If I were Mr.Hayes i would have released the album with the following track order and had the rest as b-sides.
1. A Fear of falling under
2. Who Would Have Thought
3. Casey
4. Step Into the Light
5. Sing To Me
6. A Conversation with God
7. Listen all you people
8. Bombs up in my face
9. Neverland
10. Walk Away
11. On the verge of something wonderful
12. Me Myself and i
13. Words
14. The tuning of violins
I think this album is a huge step forward for Darren creatively in his career and without question a definitive album but nowhere near the replay value of The Tension and the Spark. Disc one is by far the best of the 2. But rearrange the album with the above track listing for your repeat listening pleasure.
3 1/2 out of 5 Stars
