"Sorry I’ve been away so long, I needed just a little more time…"
Those are the first words on Richard Hawley's new album 'Hollow Meadows' and they signal a return both to a certain place and a certain sound.
2012's psychedelic meander 'Standing At The Sky's Edge' may have been a success, but the songwriter has decided to opt for rather more familiar climes on his next record.
'Hollow Meadows' is a further salute to his native Sheffield, and comes entwined with the classic arrangements which made his early solo material so sought after.
Out on September 11th, it's a dignified return, with the sumptuous sound matched to a lyrical directness which can speak of the loss of the past without slipping into nostaglia.
As a preview, Clash is able to offer a live version of 'Tuesday PM' recorded in Sheffield's Greystones pub.
Stripped back but engrossing, the word which springs to mind is 'honesty' – an honest approach, an honest performance and an honest artist.
Check it out now.
