I think it’s fair to say that 2009 has been Dan Willson’s year, in a musical sense.  He’s gone from being one of Edinburgh’s most respected songwriters to the leader of a band on the verge of genuinely widespread and richly deserved recognition.

I am likely to repeat this analysis come the time of his album release in September of this year, but I find myself smiling sometimes at just how little actual innovation seems to take place with the actual music and arrangement of Withered Hand’s music.  It’s all quite basic and straightforward, with his acoustic guitar supplemented here by bits of piano, percussion and accordion and some backing vocals from King Creosote, who recorded and produced this little gem.

Basically though, Withered Hand are a great band because Dan is a truly special, special songwriter.  His fundamental knack for a melody is uncanny, and his lyrics are superb.  His songs of self-doubt and insecurity are just a shade too humorous and clever to actually be self-pitying.  And yet they’re always too heartfelt and believably real to be anything other than genuinely affecting.

No Cigarettes is a boody masterpiece, frankly, and Oldsmobile Car is the latest incarnation of a brilliant song written with Dan’s Bear Scotland pals Cammy Watt and Neil Pennycook, which has previously seen the light of day as the demo Shooby Shooby and also as Red Candle Bulb on the recent Meursault EP.  It’s nice to see the main songwriter himself give us his own interpretation, and the quavering backing vocals of Mr. Anderson are perfectly suited to the deer-in-headlights nature of the words.

Big Ten Four sounds uncannily like Neil Young, funnily enough, but in preceding the lovely Are You Courageous, perhaps slows things down a little too much for my taste it almost puts the brakes on two blocks before the corner, but that’s about the only criticism I have to offer: a minor quibble about sequencing.  Otherwise, this is fucking brilliant.

Withered Hand – No Cigarettes

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Website | More mp3s | Buy from Fence Records

There’s pretty much fuck all going on this week.  I get the impression everyone’s packed in in advance of the Festival, whose lineup is pretty fucking thin this year, and we may be in for a barren few weeks before things kick off in August.  If kick off is the right word.

Bart has spotted some gigs that he likes the look of, so maybe you should check Magic Marker.  Bart’s taste, barring a tendency to love everything in the world, is reliable but I don’t know enough about most of the bands he recommends this week to actually recommend them myself.  And there’s a Meursault gig virtually every night for some reason:
- One accompanied by The Kays Lavelle at the Ark on Wednesday the 25th.
- One with fellow Bear Scotlanders Les Enfant Bastard and Withered Hand at Henry’s on Thursday 26th.
- And another with Y’All is Fantasy Island on Friday 27th, also at Henry’s.  Neil will be sick of the sound of his own voice by the end of that little run.

That apart, there’s a Duty Free gig at Cabaret Voltaire on Sunday 29th June, with some Yoof Rock: Cats and Cats and Cats, Edgar Prais and Over the Wall.
It’s a lineup I have a few reservations about, but an interesting one nevertheless and definitely my pick of the weekend’s entertainment.  Hopefully next week with find some more fertile fields to plough.
Cats and Cats and Cats – You’ll Never Make it Home

After the excitement of last week it is with just a little bit of relief that I announce that there is pretty much fuck all going on in Edinburgh this week.  Phew.  I might just stay in and finally catch a bit of the football on the telly for a change.  Would you believe a bloody footie fanatic like myself has missed every last second of the Euros thus far?  That’s how busy I’ve been.

Well I can take bit of a breather this week, although I am meeting Andy to plan the Nightjar album launch, which will hopefully be late in July.  So what is there for your entertainment this week?  Well mostly there is Bear Scotland.  Who the fuck are Bear Scotland I hear you ask?  Well they are the loose collective including Withered Hand, Meursault, Les Enfant Bastard and a couple of other bands I am only just getting to know.  Well one of the only things I find myself really recommending this week is the night all the bands on Bear Scotland that I don’t know come to town – that and the single release night for the excellent Kid Canaveral.

Friday 20th June 2008: Kid Canaveral at Henry’s Cellar Bar.
Kid Canaveral are releasing their new single, and this is the launch party.  I don’t have to big these guys up – just listen to Smash Hits below.  I defy you not to bounce.  See?  Get along to Henry’s then.
Kid Canaveral – Smash Hits

Friday 20th June 2008: School of Language & Meursault at the Ark.
I do not like the venue and from what very little I have heard I do not really like School of Language all that much either.  But Meursault are fucking brilliant, so if you are more SoL-inclined than I am, get yourselves down there.
Meursault – A Few Kind Words

Saturday 21st June 2008: Bear Scotland Presents at Henry’s Cellar Bar.
Actually playing will be the bands Dirty Summer, The Foundling Wheel and Dead Boy Robotics, but I know nothing about them (although Dirty Summer did that excellent song War is Bad, Bono is Great, which has featured on a Toadcast), but given how much I like the Bear Scotland bands I already do know, this show really is worth attending.  I’ll be there, and hopefully I will have some excellent things to share afterwards.
Dirty Summer – War is Bad, Bono is Great
Les Enfant Bastard – Plastic Bag (Pay attention to this, it’s new to this site and really rather good)