Richard Hawley "Further" (2019)

Further
release date: Jun. 7, 2019
format: digital (11 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,76]
producer: Colin Elliot, Shez Sheridan, Richard Hawley
label: BMG - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Off My Mind" - 2. "Alone" - 3. "My Little Treasures" (4 / 5) - 4. "Further" - 5. "Emilina Says" - 6. "Is There a Pill?" (4 / 5) - 8. "Not Lonely" - 10. "Midnight Train" - 11. "Doors"

8th studio album by Richard Hawley released after his longest hiatus - a nearly four years brake is yet another return to Hawley's preferred "co-assistants", long-time producer Colin Elliott - with whom Hawley has made all of his eight studio albums - and Hawley's usual guitarist Shez Sheridan, both of which have co-produced the album with Hawley as was the case on his most recent album, Hollow Meadows, from 2015.
The album contains 11 new compositions and with a total playing time at just over 35 mins it does seem in the short end of long playing albums these days.
Stylistically, there are no groundbreaking news here, but given an artist carrying so much originality in terms of sound and style, I guess most people wouldn't have expected major changes in that respect. It's almost like a look down memory lane where he showcases the different styles from previous albums - indie pop singer / songwriter on his earliest albums, the striking chamber pop ballads from his most memorable albums, Coles Corner and Lady's Bridge to more hard-rockin' neo-psychedelia experiments from Standing at Sky's Edge but with a nice stress on his chamber pop ballads. Hawley does what he does so well: He delivers sincere ballads and sing-along pop / rock songs about everyday life, dwelling on subjects about being alive, being male and over 50 as one of the best crooners of British popular music.
The album has been met by positive reviews and it peaked at #3 in the UK. Two singles preceded the album release - tracks #1 and #3 respectively. Dave Simpson of The Guardian pretty much wraps it up when writing: "In the album’s 40 minutes, there is scarcely any flab. Twenty years into his solo career, Hawley certainly isn’t tearing up the blueprint, but within the boundaries of his domain, nobody does it better".
Yes, there's a distinct resonance from his two finest albums, Coles Corner and Lady's Bridge, but it's not about copying or a mere repetition that leaves you with the idea that here's an artist with nothing new to offer, it's really a matter of style - and Hawley still delivers new songs about familiar subjects in the finest wrapping.
Recommendable.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Mojo, Q Magazine, Uncut, 👍The Guardian, Record Collector 4 / 5 stars ]

Richard Hawley "Hollow Meadows" (2015)

Hollow Meadows
release date: Sep. 11, 2015
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,66]
producer: Shez Sheridan, Richard Hawley, Colin Elliott
label: Parlophone - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "I Still Want You" - 2. "The World Looks Down" - 5. "Long Time Down" - 6. "Nothing Like a Friend" (4 / 5) - 7. "Sometimes I Feel" - 9. "Welcome the Sun" - 10. "Heart of Oak" (live on Later)

7th full studio album by chamber pop singer / songwriter Richard Hawley introduces guitarist Shez Sheridan as co-producer to the solid collaborative unity of Colin Elliott and Hawley. The album still feels very much like a return to form in the sense of being closer related to his great 2005 album Coles Corner, and which means he has put aside some of the more experimental aspects as found on his two most recent albums. The album is quiet, slow and with focus on the ballad-like stories about unrequited love.
I easily find it bettering his somewhat mediocre 2012 album Standing at the Sky's Edge but also bettering his fine 2009 album Truelove's Gutter and by that releasing one of his top 3 albums ever.
[ allmusic.com, NME 4 / 5 stars ]

Richard Hawley "Standing at the Sky's Edge" (2012)

Standing at the Sky's Edge
release date: May 7, 2012
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,06]
producer: Richard Hawley and Colin Elliot
label: Mute / Parlophone - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 5. "Seek It" - 9. "Before"

6th solo album release by Richard Hawley is also his 6th to be co-produced by Colin Elliott, although, it's really his most experimenting album to date. It seems like he's in search of a new style, and it remains rather unclear what it is. It's psychedelic, alternative and experimenting, and only little chamber pop and folk, and I haven't accustomed to it. The album harvested some fine reviews and many critics loved his change of style. Actually, the album was nominated The 2012 Mercury Prize, a prize he was previously nominated with Coles Corner (2005). I just don't agree with the positive reviews, and despite the fine date of its release, and not because it isn't Hawley as usual, but simply because the music doesn't appeal that much to me.
[ allmusic.com, The Independent 4 / 5, The Guardian 5 / 5, Uncut 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Richard Hawley "False Lights From the Land" (2010) (ep)

False Lights From the Land, ep
release date: Jun. 8, 2010
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,07]
producer: Richard Hawley and Colin Elliot
label: Mute Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Remorse Code" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Shallow Brown" (feat. the Smoke Fairies) - 3. "The Ellan Vannin Tragedy" (feat. the Smoke Fairies) - 4. "There's a Storm a Comin' "

An ep in between album releases. The first track is the epic track from Truelove's Gutter (2009), which means beautiful chamber pop, but the remaining tracks are very different, but the collecting theme here is sailors' songs, which also is implied in the title. "Shallow Brown" is an a capella, or more correct: a sea shantie song, or: sailors' song (here) without music. "The Ellan Vannin Tragedy" is likewise a track with a clear sailor motif with scarce music accompanying, and the last track "There's a Storm a Comin' " is more in style with his normal production. The two shanties drag in the negative way, I think, and overall it's a bit too varied style-wise.

Richard Hawley "Truelove's Gutter" (2009)

Truelove's Gutter
release date: Sep. 9, 2009
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,44]
producer: Richard Hawley and Colin Elliot
label: Mute Records - nationality. England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "Open Up Your Door" (4 / 5) - 4. "Remorse Code" (4,5 / 5) (live at Melkweg) - 5. "Don't Get Hung Up in Your Soul" - 6. "Soldier On" - 8. "Don't You Cry"

5th solo album release by Richard Hawley. It's not that it's a lesser release but in his list of albums it's not that far from the 2007 release Lady's Bridge. There's not much new in his music, and yes, I'm well aware of the fact that some musicians really don't have to present us the big progression 'cause what they do just sounds perfectly fine as is, and Hawley is one of those artists. "Remorse Code" is a beautiful (almost progressive) long track at 9:50 min, and "Don't You Cry" even surpasses it lasting 10:42 min. Both tracks may be seen as Hawley experimenting with sound and sentiments, and all in all the album is his most quiet and tender album so far. The album won the prize Mojo Record of the Year in 2009.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, The Guardian, Mojo, Q Magazine 4/ 5, Uncut 3 / 5 stars ]

Richard Hawley "Lady's Bridge" (2007)

Lady's Bridge
release date: Aug. 20, 2007
format: cd / vinyl (2019 reissue LTD. green vinyl)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,20]
producer: Richard Hawley, Colin Elliot, Mike Timm
label: Mute Records / Setanta Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Valentine" (4 / 5) (live on Later) - 2. "Roll River Roll" - 4. "Tonight the Streets Are Ours" (5 / 5) (live on Later) (acoustic live) - 5. "Lady Solitude" - 7. "The Sea Calls" - 8. "Lady's Bridge" (4,5 / 5) - 9. "I'm Looking for Someone to Find Me" (4 / 5)

4th studio album release by Richard Hawley is another fine chamber pop and singer / songwriter album. Some of the songs are much alike the most beautiful tracks from Coles Corner (2005) and others are refreshingly new in style, making the album a more complex attempt with songs in rock & roll, country rock, and others shaped in jangle pop. "Tonight the Streets Are Ours" is one of his absolute best tracks, and I rate the album very much on par with its fabulous predecessor.
Highly recommendable.

EDIT Oct. 2019:
I have only just received the 2019 reissue on coloured transparent green vinyl issued on Setanta Records. Great to own a vinyl copy of this genuine masterpiece.

[ allmusic.com, The Guardian, Uncut 4 / 5 stars ]

Richard Hawley "Coles Corner" (2005)

Coles Corner
release date: Sep. 5, 2005
format: cd / vinyl (2019 reissue LTD. amber vinyl)
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,26]
producer: Richard Hawley, Colin Elliot, Mike Timm
label: Mute Records / Setanta Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Coles Corner" (5 / 5) (live at Glastonbury 2010) - 2. "Just Like the Rain" (4 / 5) - 3. "Hotel Room" (4 / 5) (live in Brussels 2010) - 5. "The Ocean" (5 / 5) - 6. "Born Under a Bad Sign" (4 / 5) - 7. "I Sleep Alone" - 8. "Tonight" (4 / 5) - 11. "Last Orders" (4 / 5)

3rd studio album release by Richard Hawley and the album that really brought him fame and critical acclaim. The album was nominated the 2006 Mercury Music Prize for Best Album (a prize that went to Arctic Monkeys). This was the first album that I ever heard with Hawley, and it completely blew me over. I had no idea that it existed! The style is more or less the same, as his two previous albums, although, I find this more dynamic, or just more well-orchestrated and -produced, and with more... tension. Yes, he still sings his haunting love songs with his crooning dark voice accompanied by his jangle pop surf rock guitar but the songwriting is just sublime. And even though, I'm really really fond of this album, I simply cannot find room for it on this years top 3 list. Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabeté's In the Heart of the Moon tops my list (I can't have any album be rated higher than that), with Sigur Rós and Kent in the next two places with top albums from their hands, but I guarantee that this album is already a modern classic, and I probably listen more to this than any of its contesters.
Highly recommendable.

EDIT Sep. 2019:
I have just received the 2019 reissue on coloured 'amber' ('orange' look) vinyl issued on Setanta Records. Great to own a vinyl copy of this genuine masterpiece.

[ allmusic.com, The Guardian, Mojo, Q Magazine, Uncut 4 / 5 stars ]

Richard Hawley "Lowedges" (2003)

Lowedges
release date: Feb. 10, 2003
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]
producer: Kevin Bacon, Collin Elliot, Jonathan Quarmby, Richard Hawley
label: V2 Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Run for Me" - 2. "Darlin' " - 3. "Oh My Love" - 6. "You Don't Miss Your Water (Till Your River Runs Dry)"

2nd studio album by Richard Hawley (originally issued by Setanta Records) and the follow-up to his acclaimed debut continues the style of gentle crooner chamber pop and Hawley's classic surf-guitar sound. Critics all agreed that the album was up there among the very best of the year, but the vast crowd of record buyers didn't notice the album. But yes, it's very nice and very fine album, once again.
[ allmusic.com, The Guardian, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

Richard Hawley "Late Night Final" (2001)

Late Night Final [debut]
release date: Oct. 15, 2001
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,34]
producer: Richard Hawley, Alan Smyth, Colin Elliot
label: V2 Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highligts: 1. "Something Is....!" (4 / 5) - 2. "Baby, You're My Light" - 4. "The Nights Are Cold" (4 / 5) - 10. "Long Black Train" - 11. "The Light at the End of the Tunnel (Was a Train Coming the Other Way)"

Solo album debut release by Richard Hawley (originally released on Setanta records) after leaving the britpop band Longpigs and after playing with Pulp. The music is diverse from what he helped producing with Longpigs, a band who played a combo of dreampop and britpop. Here, Hawley is playing AND singing (which is new) chamber pop, and it really sounds nice, fine, and very cool. Music critics loved the release but the album failed to sell any great number of albums. Compared to his later efforts, this first attempt only lacks the really great songs but the tone, the style, and the coolness is ever-present even on his first album.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Richard Hawley

~ ~ ~

Richard Hawley: born Richard Willis Hawley [birth name] Jan. 17, 1967 in Sheffield, UK, is a British solo artist and former guitarist of the britpop bands Longpigs (1994-2000) and Pulp (2000-2001). Since 2001 he has performed and released albums under his own name, primarily in the singer / songwriter, and chamber pop genres with elements of jangle pop, as well as with traces to 1940s popular and 1950s standards music. He has worked with many both established as well as upcoming artists as songwriter, producer, sessions musician, and live guitarist, and most of his studio albums have received positive reviews from the press, and his albums have been nominated to and won several music prizes.

www.richardhawley.co.uk/

~ ~ ~

Richard Hawley - Live

Richard Hawley
"Tonight the Streets Are Ours"

[Live on Later with Jools Holland, 2007]
[track from Lady's Bridge, 2007]

Richard Hawley Live:

"Darlin' " (At Devil's Arse, Derbyshire, 2011) [track from Lowedges, 2003]
"Coles Corner" (Live at Glastonbury, 2010) [track from Coles Corner, 2005]
"Hotel Room" (Live in Brussels, 2010) [track from Coles Corner, 2005]
"Remorse Code" (Live at Melkweg, Amsterdamm 2012) [track from Truelove's Gutter, 2009]

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