Splendid news from Setanta: "Richard Hawley has this week finished recording his new album which sounds great, it will be released in Jan and looks like it will be called 'Low Edges' named after a part of Sheffield." The dead of winter will be an excellent time to release more of the boy Hawley's sonorous, croonsome delights (always assuming he's still in that mood). If not the Fisherman's Friend of rock then certainly a steaming cup of Bovril...

Also from the Setanta stable, Hem are now touring the UK. reallyrather hits the road to catch their show in Leicester on Friday night which means..

..missing the repeat ('due to popular demand') of the Be Good Tanyas session on Andy Kershaw's BBC Radio3 show. The group have finally drawn a line under touring to support Blue horse and are now back in the studio for the follow-up. Asked in Triste magazine about the next album, Samantha Parton said, "I think it's gonna be in the same vein as Blue Horse, but it might have a bit of piano on it... maybe some musical saw," an instrument which is all over..

..The blackened air by another act in town this week, Nina Nastasia. reallyrather has commented before about how there's a distinct kinship between this pair of albums and, in idle moments, has been given to speculating on the prospect of Nina maybe becoming a fourth Tanya at some point, a la CSN&Y. If Richard Hawley's a winter warmer, Ms Nastasia's sound is the perfect soundtrack to the gathering gloom, as rightly identified in the handy checklist appended to Grim Reapers & Haunted Melancholy: Music of Autumn' a new essay just up at Fast 'n' bulbous. Luckily for you, there are still tickets to be had for her show at The Spitz on Tuesday...

And neatly tying all these sounds and seasons together, reallyrather is currently chasing down Here comes winter, out last week from NewYork combo Parker and Lily...