Richard Hawley - Lady’s Bridge

He sings like a cross between Roy Orbison and Elvis Presley and writes songs with the wit and warmth of Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello, which helped Hawley win a prestigious Mercury Prize nomination for his last album, Coles Corner. The former Pulp guitarist’s latest collection ups the ante, adding the brisk rockabilly of “Serious” and “Looking for Someone to Find Me” and the lush orchestral opener “Valentine.” But Hawley’s ace up his sleeve is “Tonight the Streets Are Ours,” a stirring freedom song for modern times.