This came out in 2001 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Robert Plant may be the last guy you’d expect to be reminded of while listening to Hawksley Workman. Unless, that is, you’re listening to Striptease, the first track on Workman’s new sophomore album.
“Striptease for me, baby,” moans Hawksley like old Rob hisself, practically begging for his woman to squeeze his lemon till the juice runs down his leg while a suitably swaggering white-blues rock riff sizzles in the background. Before the entire universe shifts on its axis, however, Hawksley returns to somewhat more familiar terrain, the archly theatrical ’70s falsetto-pop universe he co-rules with the likes of Ben Folds, Rufus Wainwright, Ray Davies and Sparks. Actually, he doesn’t share with anyone here — Hawksley plays pretty much everything on this album, making him just as impressive a musician as a songwriter. Even when he isn’t doing Zep, Workman still has (ahem) presence to burn.
