Richard Hawley Is Standing At The Sky's Edge

After creating several albums of sheer mellow beauty, it was time for Richard Hawley to take the gloves off. And on his newest album, Standing At The Sky's Edge, he's done just that and apparently rediscovered the power of his guitar while remaining true to his sound. Seemingly an album battling for control, Hawley lets mellow songs duke it out against guitar heroics and pyrotechnics. It's a spectacle to behold as his Britpop past comes back to the front and is then mellowed by his current sound; it's all a bit taming of the beast.

At times, turned up to 11 and armed with enough effects to make Kevin Shields jealous, Hawley proves he hasn't lost it over the years and is still armed to the teeth with enough psychedelic riffs and power chords to make your mind explode. The guy truly is an amazing guitarist and his work here is phenomenal; perhaps his best in ages. It's no wonder that the guitar features so prominently on the cover/liner notes of Standing At The Sky's Edge. And while there's that aggressive element pulsating through this record there's also Hawley's more mellow, toned down and heartfelt side that at times overwhelms that aggression. The result of this is an absolutely stunning and beautiful record that seems almost commonplace for Hawley; the guy is nothing but pure talent and whether it's psychedelia or dramatic soulful pop he's able to write songs that fit moods with ease.

Standing At The Sky's Edge is excellent. Hawley's ability to channel his past into his future is impressive and his songwriting, playing, and technicality is truly awe inspiring. He may be Standing At The Sky's Edge but he's so far beyond that point it's almost impossible to keep up with. Easily one of the best guitar records of 2012, Standing At The Sky's Edge is an essential selection if there ever was one.

Richard Hawley Croons to Perfection

If the age of the crooner is over, someone clearly forgot to tell Richard Hawley. Embracing his inner Andy Williams and Scott Walker, Hawley's velvety voice is the most calming, relaxing and de-stressing thing currently on record. The guy clearly has a voice and over the course of six studio albums has perfected his croon and approach to writing incredibly beautiful songs that even your elderly parents will have a hard time not liking. His latest album, True Love's Gutter is no different and is easily the most lush and textural albums you are likely to hear.

True Love's Gutter features barely there production, hauntingly stunning instrumentation and THAT voice. It's just an incredibly delicate and radiant record that tugs at your heart from the very first note. It's charms lie in the way it slowly rolls out graceful songs that wash up gently one after another. It's a mesmerizing effort that beneath it's exquisite nature hides a dark depressing secret. This is an album that explores the idea of people or things that are broken in some way as well as the damaged times we live in. It's not the happiest subject matter around and of course you would never know that unless you read along because by about the third song in you're so hypnotized by the minimal and stark elegance of True Love's Gutter it doesn't matter.

From the rising of "As The Dawn Breaks," to the near Divine Comedy-like, "Remorse Code," True Love's Gutter has no faults. It's a purely palatial pop music that's designed to woo and woo it does in a most impressive way. True Love's Gutteris probably my favorite of the six Hawley albums and every time I listen I find it amazing that this guy was once in Pulp and the Longpigs. True Love's Gutter is gorgeous stuff that's the best blast from the past I've heard this year. Andy Williams would be proud!