The Research - The Hard Times

Everyone's tired of love songs, so on their newest single, The Research try something (sort of) new : the meta-love song. While this catchy, organ-driven tune is supposedly about the decline of Wakefield, the band's home base, The Hard Times could be about any relationship doomed by the unrealistic expectations that a sincere love of pop music seems to nourish. It's like one of the better Nick Hornby novels in song form, and nerdy enough to include a reference to psych-weirdos Sparks. Perfect for disappointed romantics and record obsessives nearing middle age. [Andrew Monroe]