Making the nine years it took UK folk-rock troubadour Withered Hand to release his long-awaited ‘How To Love’ LP (his first new music in nearly a decade, out now via Reveal Records), he has shared his behind-the-scenes ‘Making ‘How To Love’ video and announced a series of UK shows.
The nom de plume of Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter Dan Willson (originally from London), Withered Hand continues to live up to his reputation as one of Scotland’s most gifted songwriters. He has garnered worldwide support and heavy airplay on tastemaker stations including BBC 6 Music and Amazing Radio.
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.
Earlier, Withered Hand released the singles ‘Feelings’, ‘Crippled Love’, with an exclusive live acoustic version, and the lead track ‘Waking Up’, along with a radio edit involving producer Mark Freegard (The Breeders, Del Amitri, New Model Army, Lush, Pale Saints),
“My own mental health struggles in the past meant life got really dark before I was willing to surrender three years ago and become willing to learn to live sober,” says Dan Willson. “The songs on ‘How To Love’ are imbued with my attempts to keep stumbling away from living like that”.
Willson began 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.
Withered Hand’s acclaimed ‘New Gods’ LP (2014) was released via Slumberland Records, featuring luminaries from Belle & Sebastian, Frightened Rabbit, The Vaselines, and Pam Berry of seminal noisepop band Black Tambourine, propelling the album straight into the charts.
The ‘How To Love’ album is available everywhere digitally, including Apple Music and Spotify, and in all formats (vinyl, CD and digitally) via Bandcamp. Tickets for upcoming Withered Hand shows can be ordered at http://witheredhand.com/shows
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)
Press and radio by Shameless Promotion PR
TOUR DATES
Sunday Aug 6 – North Berwick Fringe By The Sea (solo set)
Thu Aug 24 – Edinburgh Festival Summerhall
Wed Oct 25 – Stirling Tolbooth
Thu Oct 26 – MacArts Galashiels
Friday Oct 27 – St Lukes, Glasgow
Sat Oct 28 – Lemontree, Aberdeen
The wonderful world of Withered Hand
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