A trip to the local charity shop unearthed this piece of loveliness from Sheffield's favourite crooner. Of course this meant that several other purchases followed "while I've got me wallet out", but more of these later.
I'm not sure how I was first alerted to Hawley, but he's a fine songwriter, and definitely a 'good thing'.
This is quite simply, a collection of fine songs. Not all grab me with equal intensity, and when they do it's the more upbeat numbers which set my pulse racing, over the slower balladic ones.
Valentine is a gentle, slow opening song, given the full orchestra treatment, which doesn't sound cheesy with a Hawley song, and the relaxed mood is very much maintained on Roll River Roll. But Hawley is savvy enough to know that we need light as well as dark, so the lovely Serious steps the tempo up a level, before the utterly glorious Tonight The Streets Are Ours (a minor hit in 2007) capturing the joy of a night on the town with a loved one. Perhaps my one criticism of this album would be that such a high spot comes so early, but there's plenty more to enjoy. Lady Solitude is a well crafted ballad, before Dark Road, with Hawley sounding almost Orbison-like, with a strong guitar hook.
The Sea Cells has a rolling, folky quality, a lovely song taking us into the title track Lady's Bridge, a pleasant slower song, then we speed up for the jaunty, enjoyable I'm Looking For Someone To Find Me, before we end with Our Darkness, another gentle song, and The Sun Refused To Shine, tinged with mystery and bleakness.
It's a really enjoyable album, reminding me of later Nick Lowe in the more upbeat moments, and one which delivers more on every listening.
4* - a top quality album of songs from one of our top contemporary songwriters.
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