Image credit: Dean Chalkley.
Following the acclaim for the award-winning musical based on his songs, ‘Standing At The Sky’s Edge’, which opened earlier this month for a six-month run in London’s West End, today Richard Hawley recently released new single: “Two For His Heels”.
It is the opening track on Hawley’s forthcoming album, ‘In This City They Call You Love’, which will be released on 31 May.
The album’s title is taken from the song “People”, about his beloved Sheffield, the city’s proud industrial past and the enduring determination of its citizens. It precedes a UK tour, bringing him to Portsmouth Guildhall on June 18.
Speaking about the new material, Richard Hawley says: “I’ve made three albums where I had the title before I’d even begun to record, where I had an agenda. One was Truelove’s Gutter. Another was Standing At The Sky’s Edge when I wanted to turn everything up and make the music a lot more aggressive, and then this one. I wanted it to be multi-coloured in a way… focusing on the voice and what voices can do together… I deliberately only played a handful of guitar solos to keep it focused on voices, the song and space…”
In the two decades that have elapsed since Richard Hawley abandoned band life full-time, first with The Longpigs and then as Pulp’s guitarist – the 57-year-old songwriter has forged one of the most singular and diverse careers in modern music.
As well as releasing a string of solo albums that have managed the rare feat of being both critically acclaimed and commercially successful, Hawley has worked with a host of impressive collaborators – friends such as Arctic Monkeys, Manic Street Preachers, Elbow and Paul Weller, alongside personal heroes that include U.S. guitarist Duane Eddy (his 2011 album, ‘Road Trip’, was co-produced by Richard), Shirley Bassey (for whom he wrote the smouldering ballad, “After The Rain”, in 2009), and Nancy Sinatra.
In recent times his songs have appeared in television dramas Peaky Blinders, The Full Monty and Hijack, as well as the hugely acclaimed and award-winning musical named after his 2012 album, ’Standing At The Sky’s Edge’. “Dear Alien (Who Art in Heaven)”, co-written with Jarvis Cocker and Wes Anderson for Anderson’s film, Asteroid City, was recently shortlisted for ‘Best Original Song’ at this year’s Oscars.
This Summer, Richard Hawley will embark on a UK tour, bringing him to Portsmouth Guildhall.
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