The Tension and the Spark

The Tension and the Spark is the second studio album by Darren Hayes, released in 2004. The album was a change for Hayes, who took a more electronic and darker style for this record and also delved deeper into more personal matter. During the recording, the singer has returned his old and traditional black hair which is used for the 1990s and Savage Garden era, before their split in October 2001. This dramatic change alienated some of his fan-base, who were expecting a result similar to his previous effort "Spin". The title of the album is derived from lyrics featured in the second track, "I Like the Way".

The Tension and the Spark
Studio album by Darren Hayes
Released	13 September 2004
Recorded	2003-2004
Genre	Pop, Electronica
Length	58:52 (International Edition) 1:02:52 (Australian Edition)
Label	Columbia
Producer	Darren Hayes, Robert Conley
Darren Hayes chronology
Spin (2002) The Tension and the Spark (2004) This Delicate Thing We've Made (2007)
Singles from The Tension and the Spark
"Pop!ular" Released: 30 August 2004 "Darkness" Released: 6 November 2004

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Stylus Magazine	A link
BBC	Positive link
Sputnikmusic	[2]

Reception

The album was received warmly by critics and fans, praising its personal matter. The Observer said "This album is no folly and succeeds, often to the point of all out triumph, on its own terms." Despite high positive reviews, it was not a large hit, and Hayes split with Columbia Records in 2006.

Singles

• "Pop!ular" was released as the album's first single in July 2004 and becoming a hit, reaching #1 on the US Dance Chart, his first number one. NME praised the song, saying it was "A twistered masterclass in career reintervention...This guy is a genius."
• "Darkness" was released as the album's second single in November 2004, but it did not chart. The physical single has subsequently become a rarity, with copies selling for £100 plus on second-hand websites and collector's auctions.
• "Unlovable" was a promotional single for the album. While it was not released as a single of its own, the music video for the song was made.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Darkness"	Darren Hayes, Robert Conley	Hayes, Conley	5:17
2.	"I Like the Way"	Darren Hayes, Robert Conley	Hayes, Conley	5:04
3.	"Light"	Darren Hayes, Robert Conley	Hayes, Conley	4:54
4.	"Pop!ular"	Darren Hayes, Robert Conley	Hayes, Conley, Mark 'Spike' Stent*	3:53
5.	"Dublin Sky"	Darren Hayes	Hayes, Conley	4:35
6.	"Hero"	Darren Hayes, Robert Conley	Hayes, Conley	4:26
7.	"Unlovable"	Darren Hayes, Robert Conley	Hayes, Conley	5:23
8.	"Void"	Darren Hayes	Hayes, Conley	3:19
9.	"I Forgive You"	Darren Hayes, Marius De Vries	Hayes, Marius De Vries	4:35
10.	"Feel"	Darren Hayes	Hayes, Conley	4:03
11.	"Love and Attraction"	Darren Hayes, Robert Conley	Hayes, Conley	4:05
12.	"Sense of Humor"	Darren Hayes, Robert Conley	Hayes, Conley	4:47
13.	"Ego"	Darren Hayes, Robert Conley	Hayes, Conley	4:31

Regional Bonus Track

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
14.	"Boy"	Darren Hayes, Robert Conley	Hayes, Conley	4:00

Outtakes, B-Sides & Demos

No.	Title	Availability	Length
1.	"Touch"	B-side to the physical single of "Pop!ular" in Australia, and "Darkness" in the United Kingdom
2.	"Zero"	B-side to the physical single of "Pop!ular"
3.	"Random Blinking Light"	B-side to the physical single of "Darkness"
4.	"Strange Magic"	Recorded for the "Ella Enchanted O.S.T" in 2004 just prior to the release of the album as a favour to Tommy O'Haver for directing the "Strange Relationship" music video from the Spin album
5.	"Let's Go"	An out-take from the album, which later appeared as a B-side to the physical single of "Me Myself and (I)"
6.	"Boy"	A bonus track on the Australian, Japanese and British digital versions of the album
7.	"Timebomb"	An out-take from the album, which was revealed by Hayes on his Facebook in June 2012.[3]

Charts

Chart (2004)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[4]	8
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[5]	32
UK Albums (OCC)[6]	13

Certifications and sales

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[7]	Gold	35,000^^
^^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

1. "Tension & the Spark - Darren Hayes". AllMusic.
2. "Darren Hayes - The Tension And The Spark (album review )". Sputnikmusic.
4. "Australiancharts.com – Darren Hayes – The Tension and the Spark". Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
5. "Swedishcharts.com – Darren Hayes – The Tension and the Spark". Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
6. "Darren Hayes | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
7. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2004 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2014.