Richard Hawley New single ‘Prism In Jeans’ out now
Second single to be released from his forthcoming album
In This City They Call You Love, out 31 May
“Hawley’s essence gorgeously explored on ninth studio LP.” 8/10, Uncut
"With its crisp arrangements and airtight songwriting, In This City They Call You Love is worth the wait...underscores [Hawley’s] well-deserved influence and increased musical stature." 4.5/5, Classic Pop
"Hawley keeps it sonically lighter, concentrating on his trademark melodic, direct songwriting.” 4/5, Shindig!
Following the recent release of Richard Hawley’s ‘Two For His Heels’ (A-listed at BBC Radio 6 Music), the first single to be taken from his forthcoming album ‘In This City They Call You Love’, today BMG release the second from the album, ‘Prism In Jeans’.
‘Prism In Jeans’ is vintage Hawley, a gorgeous song evoking his great love and well springs of inspiration of the ghostly remembered sound of transatlantic rock and roll before The Beatles ushered in the rock era.
“I love the music of that pre-Beatle era. The Tornadoes Telstar and The Shadows,” says Richard. “That kind of far-off netherworld. I’ve always loved that time whether it’s cool to or not. As a song, it’s about someone who is like a rainbow in a very confined space. A Prism in Jeans.”
The song is from the forthcoming album In This City They Call You Love, released on 31 May. The album features 12 outstanding songs, which are amongst some of the finest ballads Hawley has ever written and recorded. Sumptuous melodies and arrangements are accompanied by Hawley’s emotive and sonorous voice, which sounds better than ever, on an album that further confirms his place as one of the finest songwriters of his generation, in a hugely successful recording career approaching 25 years.
The album’s title is taken from the song ‘People’, which might well be the greatest song Hawley has written about his beloved Sheffield, the city’s proud industrial past and the enduring determination of its citizens.
“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…” – Richard Hawley.
In This City They Call You Love will be released on 31 May. It will be available on digipack CD, standard black vinyl, limited edition transparent blue vinyl exclusive to HMV and indie stores, and transparent yellow vinyl exclusively available from the official store.
Buy link: https://RichardHawley.lnk.to/InThisCityPR
Tracklisting:
1. Two For His Heels
2. Have Love
3. Prism In Jeans
4. Heavy Rain
5. People
6. Hear That Lonesome Whistle Blow
7. Deep Space
8. Deep Waters
9. I’ll Never Get Over You
10. Do I Really Need To Know?
11. When The Lights Go Out
12. ‘Tis Night
Richard will be touring Ireland and the UK from the 24 May:
24 May 3 Olympia Theatre, Dublin
24 May 3 Olympia Theatre, Dublin
2 June Barrowland, Glasgow
3 June Usher Hall, Edinburgh
5 June De Montfort Hall, Leicester
6 June Bristol Beacon
8 June Eventim Apollo, London
9 June Brighton Dome, Brighton
11 June The Wulfrun Halls, Wolverhampton
12 June 02 Apollo, Manchester
13 June The Glasshouse International Centre of Music, Gateshead
15 June Olympia, Liverpool
16 June Norwich Nick Raysn LCR UEA, Norwich
18 June Guildhall, Portsmouth
20 June Scarborough Spa, Scarborough
16 August Beautiful Days Festival
29 August Don Valley Bowl, headline show with special guests, Sheffield
29-31 August End of The Road Festival
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), Nancy Sinatra, the late Lisa Marie Presley and British folk royalty Martin Carthy and the late Norma Waterson (he was an integral part of 2013’s Bright Phoebus Revisited tour). There are also bona fide pop stars such as Robbie Williams, All Saints and Texas, all of whom Hawley has played with in differing capacities down the years. His song Tonight The Streets Are Ours was featured in The Simpsons and Exit Through The Gift Shop: A Banksy Film.
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®.
The successful award-winning Standing At The Sky’s Edge musical features 20 Richard Hawley songs and won Best New Musical and handed Hawley Best Original Score at the 2023 Olivier Awards. Following its sell-out runs at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre and London’s National Theatre, it recently began a six-month run at London’s West End Gillian Lynne Theatre.
Also in 2023, Richard played five acclaimed shows with John Grant, performing the songs of Patsy Cline.
And in October 2023 his Very Best of… ‘Now Then’ became his 4th top 10 album and received outstanding reviews across all media, including:
"Immaculately crafted records combining his rich and timeless vocals with artfully sincere studies of his hometown. Hawley remains a beautiful singer and astute observer." – Uncut magazine
"The sumptuous, cinematic quality of his music is ultimately what he'll be remembered for." – Shindig!
"One listen to this extensive catalogue of songs is enough to confirm what a magnificent representation it is of Richard's immense talents as one of the UK's greatest songwriters and performers." – Louder Than War
“This is a perfectly encapsulated overview of one of our real national treasures.” – Vive Le Rock
