That Richard Hawley show last night at the Bowery was the dog's bollocks! Seriously. The Sheffield, England based singer-songwriter is riding a nice wave of praise into NYC on the back of his most recent studio effort, Lady's Bridge.
The songs on Lady's Bridge range from romantic, reflective and self-conscious (Valentine & Lady Solitude) to confident rockabilly good times (Serious) and stylish 60s-style pop (Tonight The Streets Are Ours). The album, as is common in his work, is an ode to Hawley's native Sheffield, England. Lady's Bridge is the oldest bridge in the center of Sheffield. (MOKB album review)
After years of doing studio work, Hawley was almost forced into recording by his fellow Pulp mates, Jarvis Cocker and Steve Mackey back in 2000. A couple albums in and he became a Mercury Prize nominee (for the 2005 album Cole's Corner). As good as that album is, Lady's Bridge is hanging on the cusp of total awesomeness. Songs from both albums (and more) were sprinkled into the hour-and-half long set. Highlights for me included the ballad "Valentine" (see lyric sheet below), "Tonight the Streets Are Ours", "Lady's Bridge", "Born Under A Bad Sign", "Just Like the Rain", and more.
UPDATE: Nyctaper was there and did his thing. Head here to download the show in its entirety.
