IT is shaping up to be a busy few weeks for Richard Hawley. On Friday his album, In This City They Call You Love, is due to be released and almost immediately he’s off on tour around the UK, including a date at Manchester Apollo. So how does this son of Sheffield prepare for the whole album release/touring schedule? “Mostly talking to (expletive) like you,” he says with a throaty chuckle.
“But seriously there is a real sense of achievement when you finish an album.” In This City is Richard’s first album since 2019’s Further and will be his ninth solo release. Originally in the band Longpigs and also briefly a member of Pulp, Richard came to public attention with his third album Cole’s Corner in 2005 which was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize.
His music includes heartfelt ballads and psychedelic, shimmering guitar driven numbers. “I was determined this album was going to be recorded really quickly, recorded on time and I wanted to be done before Christmas,” he said. “We actually finished it the day before Christmas Eve which meant I’d done absolutely bugger all Christmas shopping, so that was my excuse and I stuck to it.
” In conversation, Richard Hawley is erudite, earthy and for all that gruff exterior a sensitive soul at heart which often comes across in his songs. Certainly for the new album, much of the orchestral elements and shuddering guitar solos have been packed away, with critics comparing it to his much-loved Truelove’s Gutter album..
