Late Night Final

Sheffield singer-guitarist Richard Hawley spent much of the 90s playing in mid-level Britpop band The Longpigs before joining Pulp as a touring musician and undertaking session work for pop acts including Robbie Williams and girlgroup All Saints. When his first solo album proper landed in 2001, a reasonable reaction would have been to wonder why on earth Hawley wasted all that time playing sideman to others when he was sat on songs and a voice as good as this. Defiantly out of step with contemporary tastes, Late Night Final drew upon the pre-Beatles pop of crooners like Roy Orbison and Matt Monro, Elvis at his most lonesome, 60s Scott Walker, and the country twang of his guitar idol Duane Eddie. Reflected throughout in the drizzle-soddened romanticism of songs such as “Baby You’re My Light” and “Can You Hear the Rain Love,” however, is the locale, charm and colloquial turn-of-phrase of his beloved hometown. It’s a musical street map upon which Hawley successfully built upon for the next 25 years.