Great news this week Edinburgh-based wistful-thrash-folky Withered Hand (aka Dan Willson) released a lovely picturesque video for his new Wintry tune ‘Real Snow’, watch that below! Physical copies are only available to subscribers of a Fence Records EP series, inside a Xmas Card!
What’s more ‘Real Snow’ is Withered Hand’s first new material in 2 years after his gorgeously bittersweet ‘Good News LP’ which has rarely been off my stereo this year (despite being orginally released in the UK in 2010) – and he’s got an EP of more new material coming out in February, on Fence Records. Find out more about all that here:
Fence have put together a series of 7” vinyl EPʼs, showcasing a selection of Fence names old and new. Set your record player to 33⅓ rpm, because here comes F3NC3 R⅓CORDSʼ CHART RUSE.the first EP in the series is by Withered Hand.
Three songs recorded as part of a session with singer-songwriter and all-round indie legend Darren Hayman (he of Hefner fame). Lead
track, ʻHeart Heartʼ, is a rollicking pop-stomp, replete with shouty refrain, and a racing piano chime that will keep the olʼ ticker going. ʻMy Struggleʼ keeps the pace up, with a knee-raising bounce and surf-pop tilt reminiscent of early B-52ʼs. Flipping to the B-Side ʻGethsemaneʼ, WH turns the lights down low and gently sighs one of his most touching ballads. Fellow Fence Collective member, Rozi Plain, coos and screams backing vocals on all three tracks to heart- heart-warming affect. Completing the Fence circle of love is King Creosote, who provides the all-important remix. His ʻHeart Rave Heartʼ is a sinister cousin to the title track. Order your ‘Chart Ruse EP Subscription’ from here: http://www.fencerecords.com/
To celebrate all of this and as a special treat to you dear reader, we’ve also got a message from Withered Hand aka Dan Willson himself a recap of his year (including snowbound beginnings, SXSW, Rolling Stone, his new material and the Fence) and his hopes for 2012!
A year in the life of Withered Hand
My last year ended with a soul-crushing snow-bound solo UK tour, the whole country ground to a halt, roads closed, schools closed and kids threw snowballs at people carrying guitar cases. I wondered whether to call it all off. I’m proud to say I didn’t cancel one single date, despite some frantic calls with promoters. The trains somehow meant I managed to make it to every show. Totally weird. It was meant to happen.
It certainly had it’s moments. Exhausted and cold, I left a new laptop on a train in Hull and never saw it again. I felt like an idiot. It was the single most expensive single item I had ever bought and instantly made this my most expensive tour to date (I used the money from the tour to help replace it). That night, after reporting it lost, I picked my way through frozen, deserted streets to play a gig at The Adelphi to maybe fifteen wonderful people. These moments can make you ‘philosophical’ about the reality of making and performing music the way we do.
I was unsure what the coming year would hold…
I don’t want to bore anyone with all of the ‘hasn’t it gone really quite well?’ details but suffice to say I have played rather ALOT of shows this year and my songs are somehow finding an audience. This is a chance to say thankyou to everyone who came along, everyone who listened, everyone who sang along. Many times this year have been solo forays but several were very memorable band shows, not least an incredibly busy Queen’s Hall festival gig, supported by good pals eagleowl and Meursault and Woodpigeon. I can’t thank you enough for the support everyone has shown for the music, for the songs I am making. I especially aim that thanks at Kenny and Johnny.
There have been false starts and will be again, of course. I had a rather well documented adventure with shows and such in America, thankfully saw a few familiar faces out there at SXSW. I signed an actual record deal in the USA. That was scary. The owner Cory was a great fan of what I was doing but sadly the label went on hiatus shortly afterwards. On the plus side, I did get to see my face in Rolling Stone magazine. That’s not something I ever thought i’d see myself type. Weird huh? I thought I looked like a Jacobean Cowboy*.
One thing running through the whole year has been, I am delighted to say, Fence. I don’t even like to say ‘Fence Records’ as we all know Fence is so much more than that. My absolute favourite shows of this year hands-down have been times, like Awaygame or Homegame or Hottlogzz or Karail Bunfight, when at the end of a song i’ve looked back at my band in slow motion with a knowing smile and then turned around and seen KC, or PT or any number of the weirdly monikered brethren of the Fence Collective smiling back at us.
It gives me deep pleasure to be able to launch the Fence EP series in February with my first UK release since 2009!
Please accept my apologies for not making the Christmas bash, or indeed Kid Canaveral’s Bauble Spectacular. The WH party would have loved to have been there. And think of us, playing over in Belgium, all covered in beer and chocolate.
As I wrote in our ‘non-Christmas’ cards as a kid, I wish you all…
“Happy Holidays”
Dan
x
*(That’s a beefboard name if ever I heard one.)
