Withered Hand (and Charity) Win at Christmas
Dan Willson is clever fucker, really he is. I always think indie Christmas music fails somewhat, primarily because all the pain and unhappiness which I tend to like in music clashes with what tiny of fragment of Christmas spirit may still survive within me.
With that in mind, Avalanche Records have managed to pull something spectacular out of the bag with their Alternative Christmas charity album. It’s a fucking great compilation, really it is – enjoyable and actually quite festive-sounding, without being at all lame. I don’t use that word very often, but indie Christmas music generally does sound rather lame, and this record really doesn’t. God knows how they’ve done it.
The proceeds all go to a local charity, and to Avalanche’s own charity in aid of African street children, and the record can be bought here. If you want an antidote to the sort of cod-classical shite or painful pop garbage which gets liberally shovelled around at Christmas I guarantee you will not do better than this.
Which brings me to the jewel in the crown of this compilation: Withered fucking Hand. There are some great songs on this – donated songs from eagleowl, Rob St. John, Frightened Rabbit and Broken Records, and a couple of specially recorded ones by Song, by Toad Records bands The Savings and Loan and Meursault – but Dan has written one specially and it’s amazing.
In typical Dan fashion, he manages to batter the shite out of the modern concept of Christmas, whilst still generating a strange sense of optimism. In his skewering of modern, identikit Christmases you can hear the inverse – the echo of some idealistic Christmas which exists in Dan’s head and to which reality is signally failing to live up, and the picture he manages to paint as some sort of negative of the one he actually depicts manages to give a reassuring warmth to a song which might otherwise be really rather depressing.
It’s not though, it’s heartwarming, maybe because that idealised Christmas which exists in our heads is actually the best thing about the whole bloody festival to begin with.
Withered Hand – It’s a Wonderful Lie
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yes – this sounds rather special. I’ve ordered mine. Christmas In Kirkcaldy is such an intriguing titel. Cannae wait to hear that.
While I’m here, I’ll blatantly plug my Christmas album like a spamming cunt. This year I’m giving away a free Plagiarist CD ‘Delusions Of Banter’ with every purchase of ‘Purple Reindeer’ hear, here: http://www.dailyreckless.com/purple.htm
Carry on.
Can you actually buy it instore too? I’m heading past that way in a couple of hours!
Becky, I believe you can buy it from the Cockburn street store.
It really is rather good.
I particularly enjoyed the Zoey Van Goey spoken word/monologue thing. It’s rather amusing, but rather sinister at the same time.
I’m gonna buy a copy today. Go me.
I bought my copy in a real-life, flesh-and-blood physical exchange with a helpful young man in the Cockburn Street store.
I thought it was just a fiver?
I bought a copy from avalanche on monday and was very impressed. Dans song was a highlight for me both on the cd and when he supported t’owl last week. I’m a wee bit puzzled as to why our (last battle) xmas effort didn’t make it’s way on there though! Whingeing aside, out of the songs I haven’t heard before that are tickling my santa beard are Broken Records ‘all so tired’, Ballboys ‘Shallow footprints in the snow’, Rob st johns ‘december & whisky’ and The Savings & Loan one.
Well worth the money!
I was going to say, is the flesh and blood mandatory?!
quick fire bart…:D
The wittiest man in Scotland. Until you point a microphone at him. Then he is the most silent.
Microphones are my kryptonite.
Presumably not singy ones though, eh Bart?
So, to recap – this Avalanche Christmas album’s pretty good, eh?
“Until you point a microphone at him. Then he is the most silent.”
I believe that’s my position.
I often wondered why you got Neil and Gav round to help set up the recording equipment for the Toad Sessions, Matthew.
Singy microphones?!
“Ooh! Can you put the singy microphone over there by the strummy thing and the noisy box?!”
Erm yes, technical terms not a strong point. The thing is, it was the same damn microphone. Ask him to sing into it and it was all la-de-dah, but ask for anything resembling semi-intelligible conversation and the very same microphone transformed itself from his best friend into something resembling a Dementor from the Harry Potter books.
I also really like that Savings and Loan song. Such a great voice.
I will surrender to Bart’s attempts to change the subject.
Yes, Martin has a fucking amazing voice. They’re just finishing off their album, and I am really looking forward to hearing it. Should be out in early 2010.
Harry Potter rocks.
Catholic Boys In The Rain off that first EP is an amazing song.
The whole EP’s good actually..
Matthew you could almost be in Harry Potter. The quiet one who goes mental at the end and slaughters everyone.
Dylan, the album is basically that EP with a couple more songs added and some of the songs re-recorded. They and the Tapeheads are really close with their records, and hopefully we’ll get to put both out early next year.
its a WONDERFUL lie/life
apart from that, thanks
Sorry old chap, how the hell did I manage to fuck that up. I think I was listening to Sleet at the time:
♪♫“It’s a beauuutiful lie/ and you thought/ you should leave town”♫
It almost makes sense.
I am finally beginning to feel a little festive. A fiver is a ridiculous bargain.
I’m getting my girlfriend to play it her shop. They have a PRS license so again- everyone wins!
Love ‘It’s A Wonderful Lie’. It’s right up there with one of my (many) Withered Hand favourites now. He just keeps getting better and better.
Apples , Oranges and a lump of coal for our Christmas presents, every time I log on this site it costs me at least £5. Humbug
Maybe the world’s bankers read this site, spend all their money irresponsibly on independent music, and that’s why they broke the economy.
Song, by Toad: causing global financial meltdown one charity CD at a time.
that was a beautiful song – really. in a not so beautiful way. well. anyway. i wish i was in the UK so i could get my hands on these records. immediately.
You can still order from the Avalanche site – I included the link in the post. Maybe not ‘immediately’, but it should be pretty quick.
It is an awesome album -and with one of 17 Seconds Records’ acts on there, as Tony T said, it’s nice to see 17 Seconds Records competing with the big boys.
Can you buy it in Mexico?
Anything’s for sale in Mexico
You can buy it on the internet, and I do believe that reaches all the way to Mexico, but don’t quote me on that. Maybe it runs out somewhere in Southern Arizona.
The postage is only set at a pound, but it’s only in a slipcase so that should cover postage to Mexico I should think.
Great. Ordered, thanks.
The idea of an obscure Scottish Christmas album making its way out to Mexico rather tickles me, I have to confess. Good work, Dave!
I thought Graeme was in Mexico.
Where’s Dave?
Fuck. Maybe he’s in Laos.
it’s a wonderful lie – simply more brilliance from dw – have listened to it repeatedly, and still pick up something new as i listen to it – lyrical puns etc