We are looking forward to the new record from singer-songwriter Withered Hand, the Edinburgh-based Londoner, who is otherwise known by his real name Dan Willson. And we’re pretty sure that we are not alone in that respect, especially judging from the mass amount of press coverage and radio support the album’s lead track ‘Waking U’ has gotten since the announcement was initially made. Considering how talented he is and how well his previous output went over, not only in Scotland but throughout the UK and beyond, this comes as no surprise
Ahead of his much-anticipated ‘How To Love’ album, UK folk-rock troubadour Withered Hand presents ‘Crippled Love’, along with a live acoustic set of this endearing song. This record – his first new music in nine years – will officially be released on April 28 via Reveal Records. He also recorded a live set in support of ‘Waking Up’, so we hope you enjoy that as well. It’s quite wonderful how these songs transitions from a sound closer to Mercury Rev on the studio versions and closer to Americana in the acoustic sets. There’s something here for everyone.
This single follows worldwide support for the lead track‘Waking Up’, which has been played heavily on tastemaker stations including BBC 6 Music and Amazing Radio. The radio edit involved a collaboration with producer Mark Freegard (The Breeders, Del Amitri, New Model Army, Lush, Pale Saints), while the video was filmed by Juliana Capes in Portobello, Edinburgh.
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.
“Crippled Love’ is a sprawling fever dream of a song, slung over a simple groove. This song takes in treasured memories from touring in the USA with Scott Hutchison years ago, hallucinatory adventures on the Pacific Coast Highway, and stirs in all kinds of fuck-ups and realisations I’ve had since,” says Dan Willson.
“The chorus/refrain is basically some kind of angelic choir (including two beloved real-life guardian angels: King Creosote and Kathryn Williams) trying to get through our thick zonked-out skulls that only our own love could ever really save us.”
“Last night, picking your bones clean in the green room, I dreamed I saw you bleed out on the stage”
Withered Hand’s acclaimed‘New Gods’ LP (2014) was released on vinyl via Slumberland Records, featuring 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 the album straight into the charts.
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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.
As of April 7, ‘Crippled Love’ is available everywhere digitally, including Apple Music, Spotify andBandcamp, where the ‘How To Love’ album (out April 28) can also be obtained directly from the artist.
Withered Hand will play UK shows in support of the new album – in Manchester (April 20th), Cardiff (April 21st), London (April 22nd) and Edinburgh (April 28th) – and will perform a full-band live session for Marc Riley (ex The Fall) BBC 6 Music show (April 20th) and BBC Scotland’s Quay Sessions (May 3rd).
ALBUM CREDITS
Dan Willson – Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Malcolm 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
(c) Dan Willson (Rough Trade Publishing)
PERFORMANCES
April 20 full-band session for Marc Riley’s BBC 6 Music show
April 20 MANCHESTER – Gullivers
April 21 CARDIFF – The Moon club
April 22 LONDON – Oslo club
April 28 EDINBURGH – Liquid Room
May 7 full-band session for BBC Scotland’s Quay Sessions
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