Richard Hawley – ‘Tonight The Streets Are Ours’

A new single from the Arctic Monkeys’ favourite crooner (upon winning the 2006 Mercury Music Prize, they announced he had been ‘robbed’) – no, it’s not Tom Jones - it is of course Richard Hawley.  This, his first new single since the widely acclaimed Coles Corner album, looks certain to continue the solo success he has quietly been building since reappearing from the messy ashes of Longpigs and Pulp in 2000.  ‘Tonight the Streets Are Ours’ is awash with impossibly lush strings, and his romantic vocals ensure the song sounds beautifully out of place in 2007.  It could almost be a love song from the fifties…except it’s about ASBOs.  Well, he’s from Sheffield, so the grittiness had to seep back in somewhere.  It’s also worth checking out for the song’s flipside, ‘Vickers Road’ which has a distinct Lambchop vibe to it – always a good thing.

Released 06/08/07 on Mute Records