On his fifth album, songwriter Huw Evans delivers a masterclass in subtlety, craft and understated performance. His finest work yet and our March Record of the Month.
Produced with long-time collaborator and celebrated solo artist Cate Le Bon, Milk For Flowers is sad, but certainly not without hope. Many of the songs are fragile - and his voice throughout is just sublime in its vulnerability - but the album is entirely void of sentimentalism; plaintive and honest, some of the most enthralling we've heard in ages.
"Empty Room"
The album was recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales, with contributions from Davey Newington (Boy Azooga) on drums, Paul Jones (Group Listening) on piano, Tim Presley (White Fence, DRINKS) on guitar, Stephen Black (Sweet Baboo) and Euan Hinshelwood (Younghusband, Cate Le Bon) on sax, Harry Bohay (Aldous Harding) on pedal steel and John Parish (PJ Harvey, Aldous Harding) on "infrequent bongo."
Everyone does an impeccable job of framing Huw's voice, less is more and the warmth is really wonderful.
"Plastic Man"
It really is a fantastic album, full of sweetly-honest moments and the sort of delivery that takes a few albums to get too.
+ Available on exclusive Glow in the Dark vinyl.
+ Artwork is designed by H.Hawkline.
Back in August 2021 as we slowly emerged from 'lockdown classic', Huw came to Totnes and played a solo show for us at Sea Change. It was surreal seeing live music anyway after those weird months that had proceeded the event, but the way he commanded the room with such a beautiful whisper was just astonishing. A proper amazing performance and it's stayed with us since.
"I watched my dear friend, H.Hawkline, fold into himself and extract from a terrible time an album so exquisitely raw, yet deftly graceful. I had the extreme honour of being trusted as producer and gently helped him tease this beautiful work into existence. He writes music and lyrics that are porous to all the hues of a day. He sits melancholy at the table with absurdity and no-one bats an eye. Not without effort but always with a natural hand moving pieces around from the inside out. It’s a beautiful thing to be continuously moved and surprised by an old friend."
- Cate Le Bon
Milk For Flowers is the third release of 2023 for those of you signed up to the Drift Record of the Month Club. Available in three, six or twelve month configurations, join the Drift Record of the Month Club and start adding to your amazing collection. Each month you will receive one new album on either vinyl or CD based on your subscription type. The first delivery (whether CD or LP) will also include a complimentary Drift tote bag.
Find out more here.
Recent 'Record of the Month' albums at Drift have included; Yo La Tengo, The Murder Capital, Goat Girl, Black Country, New Road, Jane Weaver, Dry Cleaning, Squid, White Flowers, Stephen Fretwell, Chubby and the Gang, Low, BADBADNOTGOOD, Damon Albarn, Geese, Silverbacks, Cate Le Bon, Huerco S., Daniel Rossen, Kevin Morby, Vintage Crop, Viagra Boys, The Lounge Society, Jockstrap, Trevor Beales, Aoife Nessa Frances and Sarathy Korwar.