Hawksley Workman — Between The Beautifuls

Hawksley Workman's new record continues in the introspective direction begun on Treeful Of Starling. It seems Workman has replaced the cabaret-style musical excess of his early albums with emotional excess on Between The Beautifuls. The cringe-worthy title is the first warning sign of this. While it was easy to forgive the extremes of his first two albums by attributing them to the overall shtick, the simplified approach is less conducive to ironic distance. Workman's melodramatic vocals undermine the sincerity of his songs. How are we to take him seriously as he cries "I wonder am I beautiful enough/for you to kiss me true" while harmonica and lap steel whine in the background? The entire record isn't as bad as that example, which is taken from a particularly sappy musical moment. "The City Is A Drag" achieves a nice balance between old Hawksley bombast and new Hawksley emoting. "Piano Blink" is another highlight that combines a sweet piano hook (surprise) and bouncing rhythm to support Workman's soulful but relatively restrained vocal performance. There are positive moments, but in general, overwrought emotion weighs the record down. It's easier to open your heart when somebody isn't trying kick in the door.