The first time I heard Withered Hand I was scrolling on YouTube looking for new music. Oh, I guess about a decade ago or so. I came across Religious Songs – an anti-ode to a religious upbringing seeped in wistful ruminations. As I listened I began to get chills that quickly overtook me – Dan Wilson wasn’t just describing A religious upbringing – he was describing MY religious upbringing. We grew up in the same religion. I couldn’t believe it! I found the artist on The Social Network and dropped him a note telling him how much the track moved me (he responded, and it still warms my heart). I reached out to friends who had the same upbringing and sent them the link to the song. I’d imagine this scenario played out over and over as folks resonated with the song. The parent album was just as great, and I was a fan for life. I’ve been following Withered Hand ever since. The recently released My Days EP follows a full-length album released in April 2023 (the stunning How To Love). The songs on the EP aren’t just outtakes though – they stand up as masterful explorations of the human condition.
My Days opens the mini album and is a straightforward indie rock anthem. This is the only song on the EP that features a full band. It’s a nice way to welcome the listener to this release. Dan Wilson sings his heart out and touches the soul. The upbeat vibes mask the darker themed lyrics. That trick never ceases to make me smile. The orchestration adds a nice flourish, by a group dubbed The Pumpkinseeds. Given To Lose is just Dan Wilson on acoustic guitar. No band. No strings. No orchestra. It opens with the line: “Do yourself a favor, I could do myself a solid one too. What am I? My own worst enemy.” Heavy stuff. I could feel the chills building up within me – this is magical stuff. Wilson’s voice is imbued with emotion throughout the song, and it really ropes the listener in. Nice throwback to Religious Songs too. The lyric “Playing Rock Paper Scissors with the Pharisees” brought a huge smile to my face. Half The Man is somewhat amazingly better than the songs that preceded it. It is a masterpiece of emotion. Dan on acoustic guitar and Pete Harvey on cello. Harvey’s mournful strings seem to coax an unending well of sighs from Dan’s vocals. “I’m not half the man I’m meant to be.” Touching. Evocative. Those words are sung in such a way that you can feel the yearning sentiments. A beautiful way to end this EP / mini album.
You can pick up the album here. Somewhat incredibly, Dan Wilson has a collaborative album coming out in April that I am looking forward to. You can pre-order Wilson-Williams here. I am loving this new prolific era of Dan Wilson / Withered Hand.
Verdict: New Light
For Fans of: Belle and Sebastian, The Field Mice, Sufjan Stevens, Welcome Wagon, Frightened Rabbit
Tracks:
- My Days
- Given To Lose
- Half The Man