Richard Hawley wrote what is probably one my ten favorite songs ever: “Tonight the Streets Are Ours.”
Is there any songs on his new album, “Further,“ that is that good? No. But there are several that come close. And let’s be fair: One of the top ten songs EVER is a high bar.
Hawley Is best known for somewhat melancholy and thoughtful songs, so Listeners might find it odd that it isn’t until the third song on the record, “my little treasures,” that we get to vintage Hawley. Off My Mind is a rock song, and it opens the record, followed by the wonderful pop song, “Alone.”
From there the record continually straddles the line between singer songwriter Americana and gentle insight, with each song different from the one before. At just 40 minutes it has no filler—something today’s younger artists could clearly learn from.
A truly excellent album from one of music’s most underrated creators.
