Album Review: Richard Hawley - Hollow Meadows

Hawley gets back to his roots and serenades us with this immaculate collection of tunes.

The formula is simple. Hawley's deep, rich baritone drips with sincerity on rather old-fashioned songs that balance the twang of retro '60s country and western with lushly orchestrated ballads that devastate. Unapologetically awash in old-school romanticism, I Still Want You is a love song that draws power from Hawley's tender delivery. He doesn't run a lonely hearts club on this album. Instead, his bittersweet observations on life celebrate the importance of friends, family and community. There's great strength in the delicate beauty of this album.