UK indie rock troubadour Withered Hand presents his uplifting new single ‘Waking Up’, released on February 14 via Reveal Records, just in time for Valentine’s Day. The accompanying video was filmed on location in Portobello, Edinburgh by Juliana Capes.
Withered Hand is the nom de plume of Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter Dan Willson, originally hailing from London. Collaborating with Mark Freegard (The Breeders, Del Amitri, New Model Army, Lush, Pale Saints) on the radio edit, this is the first single from his ‘How To Love’ album, officially released on April 28.
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.
‘Waking Up’ is every bit as beautiful as his acclaimed ‘New Gods’ LP (2014), 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. On the new album, he continues to live up to his reputation as one of Scotland’s most gifted songwriters.
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”.
Teach me the song the new morning sings”
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 February 14, ‘Waking Up’ is available everywhere digitally, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp, where the ‘How To Love’ album can also be obtained directly from the artist.
Having started the new year with a sold-out show at London’s Lexington, more 2023 shows are being added. Withered Hand will play two album launch shows – on April 20th at Manchester’s Gullivers and April 28th at Edinburgh’s Liquid Room, involving special guests.
