This Delicate Thing We've Made

The long awaited (by me) third solo album from ex-Savage Garden frontman Darren Hayes has arrived and, after about one and a half listens I present my verdict.
Some have said this is the album that they have been waiting for from Hayes. I personally thought that his previous album, The Tension And The Spark, was very satisfying though at times a shade depressing.
There's very little of that on This Delicate Thing We've Made, an indulgent 25-song opus which on the whole is excellent.
On first listen there are a couple of songs I immediately dismiss as utter crap, particularly the second last song on disc one called Bombs Up In My Face - aptly named I think because it really does blow. Strangely he follows that song with a cracker in The Great Big Disconnect.
There are some outstanding songs here, most notably Who Would Have Thought?, Sing To Me, The Sun Is Always Blinding Me, The Great Big Disconnect, Lucky Town, I Just Want You To Love Me, Words, The Tuning Of Violins and the single On The Verge Of Something Wonderful.
Looking at that list - if this was a single album and all those songs were there it'd be one of the best albums I've heard.
There are probably a couple more songs that will appeal but haven't on first listen - I found that the case with the previous album. Plus that's harder when they don't include the lyrics.
Overally, musically, this is a real pleasure to listen to. While 25 songs is probably too many at least you're getting value for money. Like `Tension', though I reckon this won't be a commercial success which is a shame, but Australia doesn't seem to have embraced Darren Hayes since Savage Garden split. Shame, but I still like what he's done (aside from the video clip to `On The Verge...', which is really appalling).