Coles Corner (Coles Corner - Richard Hawley)

Member Name: drakesdrum

Product:	Coles Corner - Richard Hawley
Date:	05/08/09 (46 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A collection of great tracks to escape into

Disadvantages: There aren't any

Richard Hawley is a solo singer/songwriter t from Sheffield. Formerly of Longpigs, Hawley came to public light when he played with Pulp. After several pieces of work with other artists such as Robbie Williams, Nancy Sinatra, REM and All Saints, Hawley settled down to begin his own solo career. Coles Corner is his fourth solo album which was recieved by critics very favourably and it's easy to see why.

The album has a lovely feel to it with lots of strings set against his guitar playing. A very beautiful sound. His voice is a soothing, deep voice which really works with his musical style. It makes for excellent listening and the tracks have a great atmosphere, with many tracks having a full sound with many different instruments being used.

Coles Corner

The album begins with the title track and it's a great choice for starting the album. The strings set the tone of the album straight away. It's a dreamy song, you can sit there and daydream to it. Hawley sings emotively and compliments the mournful, sad music. Lyrically he conjures up images to daydream to, it's a very good track.

Just Like The Rain

Slightly more uptempo than the previous track, Just Like The Rain was released as a single but hardly made a dent in the chart, in fact it topped at 94. This is a shame because it's an excellent track. Similar to the previous track it's very dreamy sounding with plenty of delicate strings set against Hawley's deep voice and delicate guitar playing. Quite catchy as it is structured like a typical pop song, with a lovely sounding chorus. Another great track.

Hotel Room

Carrying on the theme, this track is another dreamy sounding track. The delicate drums, bas and guitar make for a lovely sound. Not quite as good as the previous two tracks but it's well worth listening to. Hawley sings with emotion and feeling, his lyrics often iteresting conjuring up much imagery.

Darlin' Wait For Me

This is an intimate sounding track, Hawley realling opens his heart in this track. A wonderful blend of sadness and melancholy, this is a slow tempoed and soft sounding track. Another good track.

The Ocean

This is a very atmospheric track, lots of different sounds going on. Plenty of strings again, soft guitar, a nice soft drum line and some horns thrown in there too. This music really suits Hawley's voice perfectly. Another dreamy track, it builds up nicely to a beautiful last couple of minutes. Grea track, there's just so much depth to it.

Born Under A Bad Sign

This is a chirpy sounding track, with a strong bassline. It;s very catchy and it's a brilliant track. It's different to the previous tracks but not too different that it doesn't fit in. Wonderful lyrics, he sings with great sincerity this is a great track. The guitar work I particularly like too.

Sleep Alone

A track with a bouncy guitar line, set against more harnessed sounding bass, drums and vocals. It's an emotive song where Hawley comes across as a singer with tenderness and the heart of true romantic, not self pity or bitterness. A sad song, it's yet another good track.

Tonight

A slow and atmospheric song. The music echoes around behind Hawley's soft, deep vocals. A song full of emotion and feeling, Hawley puts his pain of heartbreak across very well in a poignant way. The lyrics are not as complex as his previous tracks but I think that is the point. It sounds as if he wrote this on the night he is talking about and just threw his emotions down on the paper. It works brilliantly. I love the bass that kicks in halfway through to add another layer. Great track.

Wading Through The Waters Of My Time

This is an intriguing track. If this is anyway possible, it's like a mix between Johnny Cash and Elvis. The music has a country/folk sort of sound, set with a vocal melody which does sound very Elvis like. Lyrically this is a good track, plenty of imagery to keep the thoughts springing up. A good track.

Who's Gonna Show Your Pretty Little Feet

A track where the guitar is barely heard, against Hawley's vocals. A slow track, it's as if he is singing to the baby late at night. It works really well. Certainly not catchy but it's a nice track and a nice change to the rest of the album.

Last Orders

The album finishes with another very atmospheric track with plenty of different sounds going on through the track. A dreamy track, it sounds as if it was recorded in an old church or something similar with the quiet sounds of a choir echoing the background around. Featuring no vocals, it's a great way to end the album with it's prominent piano.

Coles Corner is a beautiful album for daydreaming against. I find it good to put on whilst I am reading, or it's equally great listening to it when going for a walk. There's not a bad track on the album, it really is a fantastic album which should appeal to fans of many genres. I love it, my parents love it, my grandparents love it.

Summary: A wonderful album full of emotion