Trueloves Gutter

Richard Hawley | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 22, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Mute U.S.
• ASIN: B002LB6EN8
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #65,951 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

The sixth solo album from this Sheffield, England singer-songwriter and former Pulp sideman features made-up-sounding instruments including a megabass waterphone and a crystal baschet. The album s lush production provides a haunting backdrop to Hawley s unique voice and allows plenty of space for beautiful guitar solos. I wanted it to be a listening experience from start to finish, where you couldn t just pause it and go off and watch Coronation Street or whatever, explains Hawley. Sonically, it flows. It s not jumping all over the place. It just has a mood that goes through the whole thing.

Thematically his darkest work to date, Truelove s Gutter explores the idea of people or things that are broken in some way, and the fractured and damaged times in which we live, to which Hawley s lyrics profoundly attest. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another Solid Album from an Underappreciated Artist, September 29, 2009

By 

armenianthunder (los angeles) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Trueloves Gutter (Audio CD)

While I assume that music fans in Richard Hawley's native England are long since onto the secret treasure that is his music, his is a fairly anonymous name here across the pond. And that is a shame, since he has built a consistently great body of work over the past decade.

While this latest album was being touted as a more experimental, less commercial release, the general ingredients are still, thankfully, unchanged: Hawley's rich, deep baritone, somewhere between Johnny Cash and Scott Walker, and musical backing that seems to resonate from the mists of time, reflecting a musical awareness that stretches from the simple storytelling of old country bluesmen, the impassioned early rock of Roy Orbison, the lush production of 1970's countrypolitan crooner Charlie Rich, and the autumnal melancholy of folkie Nick Drake. But his supreme guitar playing and attuned ear as a producer and arranger make sure that his own music transcends simple mimicry.

2007's Lady's Bridge was a true highwater mark, as it boasted some of his strongest hooks and most varied production. This follow-up lacks the instant gratification, but reveals its charms on repeated listens. "Truelove's Gutter" is certainly ambitious, with a lot of varied instruments and stretched-out songs, as well as a lot of space within the songs themselves. "Remorse Code" is a hypnotic dirge with a killer guitar coda, and "Ashes on the Fire" is a typical brokenhearted ballad. Overall, the album is a dark but thematically and musically unified statement that probably won't make him a household name, but should please fans of his earlier work.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another great work, December 19, 2009

By 

Chris Corcoran - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Trueloves Gutter (Audio CD)

Mr. Hawley never fails to impress. His music is relaxed and beautiful, and it puts you in a thoughtful mood. I believe the liner note from Lady's Bridge album said it best. MACHO Music is STUPID music. Well, this is not macho music, and it is not stupid. It's tragic that he is not better known in the U. S.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Supremely Sublime, October 30, 2009

By 

Kurt Harding "bon vivant" (Boerne TX) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Trueloves Gutter (Audio CD)

I had never heard of Richard Hawley until a friend who is as into music as I am recently induced me to buy this album. Now that it has arrived, it hasn't been out of rotation on my CD player for over a week as I find something more to like every time I hear it. Truelove's Gutter can be pretty ho-hum if you just have it on as background music. You have to take the time to sit down, relax and really listen, preferably on a good sound system as the instrumentation is incredible. Then there is the matter of Hawley's rich, soothing baritone that will relentlessly grow on you. Think of a cross between Frank Sinatra and Scott Walker.

The album as a whole is elegant and supremely sublime but naturally I have my favorite cuts. Those are: Open Up Your Door, Remorse Code, and Soldier On, each of which feature outstanding instrumental interludes and stirringly gradual vocal buildups. I also favor Don't You Cry which closes the album on a perfect bittersweet note.

You might say that Truelove's Gutter could be classified as "easy listening" music but don't think for a minute that Richard Hawley's music has anything in common with the bland pap of Michael Buble, Josh Groban and other paint-by-number singers so popular with faux sophisticates today. Hawley is both original and innovative, and if that is the kind of artist that appeals to you then you should give Truelove's Gutter a close listen. The CD comes with an arty booklet containing album info, partial lyrics, and Hawley's thanks to everybody under the sun. Highly recommended!