JACK HARDY: Coin of the Realm

Jack Hardy

Coin of the Realm

© 2004 Jack Hardy (John S. Hardy) (825346423524)

CD IN STOCK. ORDER NOW. Will ship immediately.

The long awaited solo--vocal, guitar, harmonica-- bare bones, true grit album. Coin of the Realm is lyrical, strong, and intelligent. Jack Hardy pulls out the stops in these previous unreleased songs of social and political consciousness.

tracks

1 Coin of the Realm
2 Cain and Abel
3 In Bed with the Enemy
4 Sword in the Stone
5 Denial
6 Yellow Dress
7 When the Train Rolls Through Town
8 Poor Man
9 Pray for Me
10 Song for Dave
11 Holy Ground

notes

Coin of the Realm liner notes:

We must reclaim patriotism from those who use it as a cover for aggression, self-interest and greed. It is patriotic to question government--that is, in fact, the cornerstone of democracy. We have to reclaim our media and our music from corporate monopolies. We must also reclaim religion from narrow minded, dogmatic crusaders and their intolerance. The christianity that I was raised with was caring, compassionate and tolerant. The majority of the world's religions teach these same values.

--Jack Hardy, 2004



Throughout his fourteen album career, Jack Hardy has focused on three strains of folk music--celtic, western and political. Coin of the Realm falls decidedly in the political camp.

Over forty years, Jack Hardy has completed over twenty European and forty American tours and has had eight plays produced.

He was the founder and editor for Fast Folk Musical Magazine for twelve years which in January 2002 was archived and re-released throught the Smithsonian Institute.

Jack Hardy is a mentor and inspirational force to many of those at the forefront of the "new folk" movement. Suzanne Vega, Shawn Colvin, Steve Forbert and John Gorka have all honed their craft at Hardy's New York City Songwriter's Exchange.

The New York Times calls him, "A village Pied Piper for the spirit of folk." who The Los Angeles Times sees as "dedicated to the power and beauty of language in song." Whom Lucinda Williams believes "has written some of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard." And John gorka notes, "Jack Hardy writes literature. His songs don't just lie there on the page. He makes a song come alive."

reviews

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  • I love his graveley voice
    author: Dino Delano

    Very earthy, down and dirty, his style hooks you in to listening to the words.

  • author: Mary Ann G

    I ordered this CD on the strength of "Holy Ground," which I heard on a radio program. That song is truly timeless. Jack seems to have a bit of a whore/madonna complex, but I can forgive him for that. He clearly writes and sings from his heart/

  • Hot stuff!
    author: Hellemann

    Hardy did it once again! Also I like his music better if he's accompanied by his friends I have to say that his last work touches me.I can recommend it without any restraint.

  • Jack does it again but solo!
    author: curt

    Solo by the NYC Bard and force of the apartment sessions. Great writing and basic presentation. I love it, thanks Jack.

  • Powerful, Raw Album
    author: frank mazzetti

    This album is more reflective of the brutal times we live in than all of the horror shows put together on the evening news, which is not to say it is strictly a topical album. Cain and Abel for example is topical in that in has applicative value to what is going on around us but it will always have that through any era. Not to denegrate band efforts but this bare bones approach gives us a chance to hear Jack Hardy's songs in the intimate setting necessary to fully appreciate them. Well worth the price of admission and when you're finished with it forty years from now, you'll want to give it to your grandchildren and say, "this is what it was like."

  • Literate music opposing what currently passes for morality and leadership
    author: Kevin McCarthy

    Subtitled "Songs for the New American Century," Jack Hardy's latest release is an indictment of the neo-cons' and others blinding arrogance, willful cultural illiteracy and despicable morality cloaked in the cape of sanctimonius ideology. Hardy, who lost a brother in the terrorist acts that brought down the World Trade Towers, blends blistering rants with incisive episodes of subtle nuance and reflection to create a highly lucid and literate release that eviscerates the surly who deign to ignore reality on the basis of their omnipotent authority to create, not react, to such. "In Bed with the Enemy" is the standout example. Skewering President Bush while covering subject matter from those (otherwise known as his base) pickpocketing the wallet of this nation, Jeb Bush's role in the 2000 Florida vote recount debacle or the desire to go to war with Iraq, it opens with: "It's hard to rattle your saber when you're in bed with the enemy everyone's tallying up favors and kissing you like it's Gethsemane... It closes with: "...now you want to go to war with your cool coward's vengeance get their minds off elections and their bottomed out pensions your blue blood boiling with cowboy condescension..." The title cut, "Coin of the Realm," showcases the difficult transition of rebel into ruler, with the resulting tamping down and transformation of the opposer into defender of the status quo. Red state or blue state, agree or disagree with Hardy's philosophy and leanings, there is depth and subject matter a-plenty here for digestion. Kudos to Hardy for speaking his mind without resorting to lies, distortions and Orwellian doublespeak. Bravo to a much needed new currency--may this 'coin of the realm' remain in circulation forever.

  • raw and direct
    author: Alice Pygmy

    very topical, very raw, earthy, and pithy...this is a good one

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