Richard Hawley, having toured as the sixth member of Pulp of late, has been busy writing the B-side to the next Pulp single. Meanwhile, in his own right, Baby You're My Light is released by Setanta Records on 11 February, the second single from his eponymously titled and critically lauded debut full-length album.
Here's a man with a guitar who doesn't sound like he's even listened to Tim Buckley never mind been influenced by him. For Hawley, you need to lok back in time a little farther, to Roy Orbison in one of his more sombre moods, for a reasonable comparison to be drawn.
Hawley's rich baritone voice, enhanced further by plenty of reverb, washes over a caressing melody and melancholy lyrics - a great antidote to pop poppets in headsets, split up or otherwise. Go buy.