WITHERED HAND – “WAKING UP”
A SPILL EXCLUSIVE VIDEO PREMIERE
More and more and with every passing decade, the rich bonanza belt of British music talent seems to have moved further afoot from London and Manchester and, admittedly in large measure due to the power of the internet and social media, quite a good load of talent in the UK actually draws from its periphery – north from Scotland and west from Wales. Enter the artist known as Withered Hand . While a London native, he has come to call Edinburgh home.
Today we reveal his elevating new single “Waking Up”, released via Reveal Records just in time for Valentine’s Day. Only adding to the charm here is the accompanying video, which was filmed on location in Portobello, Edinburgh by Juliana Capes.
Withered Hand (aka singer-songwriter Dan Willson) collaborated with Mark Freegard (The Breeders, Del Amitri, New Model Army, Lush, Pale Saints) on the radio edit, effectively the first single from his How To Love album.
This is stellar music, emitting a particular heartfelt appeal that sits perfectly square in the middle of Elliott Smith, Flaming Lips, Guided By Voices and Omaha’s Bright Eyes with a dash of Van Morrison and ‘Rocks’-era Primal Scream thrown in for good measure. Being the first track we’ve heard from the he’s given us good reason to both look forward to the album he is to release on April 28 and also explore his back catalogue, the material of which was strong enough to get him a record deal with Slumberland Records.
Produced, recorded and mixed by renowned producer Tony Doogan (Mogwai, David Byrne, Teenage Fanclub, The Twilight Sad, Belle & Sebastian, The Delgados) at Castle of Doom Studios in Glasgow, the new album features guest appearances by King Creosote and Mercury-nominated English songwriter Kathryn Williams.
Withered Hand is the nom de plume of Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter Dan Willson, “Waking Up” is every bit as beautiful as his acclaimed New Gods LP (2014), released on vinyl via Slumberland Records. On the new album, he continues to live up to his reputation as one of Scotland’s most gifted songwriters.
Following his acclaimed debut Good News LP came 2014’s New Gods LP, which was released on vinyl via Slumberland Records and featured Scottish luminaries from Belle & Sebastian, Frightened Rabbit and The Vaselines, as well as Pam Berry of seminal 90’s US noisepop band Black Tambourine, propelling Withered Hand into the charts.
Dan Willson notes, “It’s hard to put down your worries when you’re so used to carrying them around that they seem like part of who you are. This song is about taking a long hard honest look in the mirror and about the unfolding process of trying to trim my rudder a little every day to do something about what I see there. In my mind I was channeling a Street Legal-era Dylan vibe with that strident chord pattern and Pete’s swirling Hammond organ and brass and the band bring a lot of joy to this arrangement, we had fun with it”.
Willson started writing songs and singing in his thirties following the birth of his first child and the death of a close friend. With a wayward tenor and unaffected charm onstage, he has come to be celebrated as a songwriter and lyricist of rare wit and remarkable honesty. With songs picked up by MTV and cult series ‘Skins’, he’s gained a legion of fans including Jarvis Cocker and Rolling Stone USA, who deemed him an Artist to Watch.
“Waking Up” will be released everywhere online at https://revealrecords.lnk.to/WakingUp. Or feel free to hit your regular sites such as Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp, where you can bypass the digital middleman and get the How To Love album will be available directly from the artist.
Credits
Dan Willson – Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Malcom Benzie – Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals
Fraser Hughes – Bass, Backing Vocals
Owen Curtis Williams – Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals
Peter Liddle – Keyboards
Richard Merchant – Trumpet
Ross McCrae – Trombone
Lynsey Payne – Saxophone
Eva Willson – Backing Vocals
Eugene Willson – Backing Vocals
Produced, recorded and mixed by Tony Doogan at Castle of Doom Studios, Glasgow
Radio Edit by Mark Freegard
(c) Dan Willson (Rough Trade Publishing)
You can also enjoy several select past offerings from Withered Hand:
Withered Hand
[Single]
(Reveal Records)
Release Date: February 14, 2023
Artist Links
Background Photo Credit: Jannica Honey
SPILL NEW MUSIC: NATE VICKERS CONFRONTS THE DARKNESS ON NEW SINGLE “PARASITE”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: JIMRAT – “HOME”
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: ZWARMACHINE – “WAKING THE NIGHT”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: FERNANDO’S EYES – “A MILLION TIMES”
