It's taken a long time for Sheffield guitarist Richard Hawley to find his own voice - for years he laboured with the underrated indie band Longpigs while contributing to records by All Saints, Finley Quaye and Pulp. His debut solo album may be only a little over 20 minutes long but it's a true gem nonetheless, a collection of wistful, echo-filled ballads that sound like lost classics from the early 1960s. Hawley's vocals are gentle and heartfelt, yet there's something distinctly eerie about his stark, semi-religious lyrics that lingers long in the memory. One of the year's most unexpected and rewarding discoveries - here's hoping this album is just the first of many.
