Richard Hawley - Coles Corner : tonight, Richard Hawley will be on Jools Holland, and I feel confident that sales of this terrific album will soar tomorrow (some of you maybe hear after googling following that performance). I would recommend you don’t delay too much - click on the picture at the left and go and buy your copy now. There really aren’t many albums made like this anymore - when you pop it in your CD player you will understand. The opening track will just blow you away - string led, melancholic and beautiful, it reminded me of Scott Walker and Bacharach in places - and my expectations were high for the rest of the album. Coles Corner doesn’t disappoint with beautiful, melancholic, gentle and lush songs reminiscent of the finest Roy Orbison moments - filled with rich vocals and vintage sounding steel guitar. Stand out tracks are ‘Born under a Bad Sign’, ‘Tonight’ and the opener ‘Coles Corner’ - but really, all the tracks are superb. This is his fourth album, and I’m off to buy the first three - and then go and find the material he made with the Longpigs. Please - don’t delay, buy this - and let it keep you warm through the winter.