Adam Hattaway & The Haunters and Friends Take On Warren Zevon
A tribute to one of rock’s greatest songwriters. This is War On Zevon.
Adam Hattaway & The Haunters have taken on the songs of Warren Zevon in a way that’s anything but typical, the way we think Zevon would have liked it. With all the dark humour, satirical whimsy and achingly beautiful romance intact, the album is held together by producer Brett Stanton’s (The Phoenix Foundation, Hollie Smith, Eb & Sparrow) warm synths, tiny heartbeat drum machines, and inherent refusal to take the obvious path.
While Warren Zevon is seen by many to be one of the greatest songwriters of all time, his influence has never stretched as far as many think it should. Ask your neighbour, grandma, or pet snake if they like Warren Zevon and they’ll almost invariably respond, ‘oh yeah, the Werewolves of London guy?’ The term musician’s musician comes to mind, maybe that’s why he seems to be one of the most covered artists of all time.
So, here we go again.
The connection began with the band’s take on Mutineer from their 2021 album, Woolston, Texas. Now they’ve gone deeper, delivering a record that honours Zevon’s singular voice while sounding unmistakably like Adam Hattaway & The Haunters.
War On Zevon features a handpicked lineup of collaborators who share the love for these songs; Georgia Knight, Adam McGrath (The Eastern), D.Feeney (Smoke Stack Slim) and Milan Borich (Pluto).
At the forefront of the album, pairs Hattaway with acclaimed Australian singer-songwriter Georgia Knight, whose distinctive voice and rising profile have made her one of Australia’s most exciting new artists. Should Werewolves of London be whispered into the listeners ear over lush synths and drum machines? Let’s find out.
Photo Credit: Isaac McFarlane
