Three years ago, Skyscraper National Park heralded the arrival of Hayden Desser as heir to the mumbling miserablism of Smog's Bill Callahan. Like the latter, Toronto-born Hayden's nagging melodies and deadpan delivery occupy their own peculiar kingdom. His fourth LP finds him applying sonic bluster to the usual sad-slow creep. "Hollywood Ending", for example, is a raucous tale of being caught up in a blockbuster outside his front door. Longtime collaborator Howie Beck is on board, too, though it's the Elliott Smith-like "Home by Saturday" that steals the show: a ragged tumble of guitars, waft of steel and those exquisitely crumbled vocals.







Robin Cuthbert
Grampian
Grampian
Move over Smog
We seem to have unearthed a natural successor to the hushed resonance of Bill Callahan, aka Smog.
Hayden's 4th album is a wonder - I simply cannot stop listening to it, with songs like Woody, a dedication to his wandering cat, and the luscious 1939, this is without doubt the signal that Hayden is to be adored.

















