Hand Woven

Editorial Reviews
New Age Retailer, Steve
A wildly exotic, world fusion gem. One of the best albums of 1997, and a must have.

Real to Reel News
An auspicious debut from an artist with a free-ranging imagination and a gift for intelligent compositions and inventive arrangements.

Hand Woven

Hand Woven,Lorin Grean,Silver Wave,Celtic New Age,New Age,New Age / Meditation,Pop,World Music

Hand Woven

Tracks:

Breathing Bull
Winter Shaker
Swedish Purse
Twig
Whistling Girl
Elktooth
Bible And Bird
Dirty Blue
Slota Prow - Full Armor
Truly Golden
Deerskin Doll
Little Raven/Shun

Album Description

An enchanting and layered world of musical meditations. David Eugene Edwards' music is brooding and dark, yet somehow maintains a tight grip on hope. Dreamy instrumentals, jarring anthems, haunting melodies, hypnotic percussion. Whether the biblical references inspire heartfelt devotion or confused indifference, it's the power of the words and the passionate authority with which they're sung that bring Edwards' songs to another level.

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant.......2006-11-13

This album is absolutely gorgeous, and some of the best music I've heard in a long time. I also think this is Mr. Edwards' finest album yet. It's not different in style from his past works, just better. For me it's the first complete Woven Hand album, the first one without a single dull track. I've been a fan since 16 Horsepower, and I'm constantly impressed that he continues to deliver great music album after album, but he's outdone himself this time. I highly recommend this to anyone who has enjoyed the music of 16 HP or Woven Hand.

Best album I've heard in a long time........2006-09-20

I have been running music stores for 11 years, so you know that I am very picky. This guy is brilliant. He has incorporated world music with melodic vocals that are just haunting. the images that he portrays in his songs with his obvious religious background in superb. There is nobody out there like this. if you like folk music, dark sounding gospel or just plain world music, this is for you. he uses many different instruments and as stated, his vocals are indescribably good.

Average customer rating:

Haunting,Starkly beautiful,terrifying...
Consider the Birds; the best from David Eugene Edwards yet
woven hand...music with a soul!
One strange little album
...

Consider the Birds
Woven Hand
Manufacturer: Sounds Familyre
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music

Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Folklore
Sackcloth 'n' Ashes
Olden
Black River Falls
Secret South

ASIN: B000654YZG
Release Date: 2004-11-02

Tracks:

Sparrow Falls
Bleary Eyed Duty
To Make A Ring
Off The Cuff
Chest Of Drawers
Oil On Panel
The Speaking Hands
Down In Yon Forest
Tin Finger
Into The Piano

Album Description

Whether fronting seminal Denver band 16 Horsepower or venturing off on his own with Wovenhand, David Eugene Edwards' voice is unmistakable. Haunting and even abrasive, there is rarely a dull moment to be found when Edwards is behind the pulpit. Diverse in style and delivery, his music is never easy to corner. His latest album under the Wovenhand moniker, Consider The Birds, is no exception. Past influences run the gamut of the bluegrass/folk spectrum. Reviewers like to name-drop Nick Cave & Tom Waits, and have tossed out words like gothic, Americana and even alt-country. In the final analysis, though, no easy tag can be applied to this artist.

Six of the album's ten songs feature Edwards solo, with little more than his fervent voice carrying the tune. Ordy Garrison (drums), Daniel McMahon (piano) and Shane Trost (bass) fill out the sound on the remaining four tracks. The album was put to tape by Robert Ferbrache, a one-time lap-steel player in 16 HP who runs Absinthe Studios. As we've come to expect, it's impossible to not be confronted by Edwards' lyrics, which, in the southern literary tradition of Flannery O'Conner or William Faulkner, are saturated with Biblical allusions. The grandson of a fire-and-brimstone preacher, Edwards channels that old-fashioned tent revival spirit well.

Customer Reviews:

Haunting,Starkly beautiful,terrifying..........2007-06-12

David Eugene Edwards,frontman for the late lamented 16 Horsepower,has fashioned a superb album. CTB [yes,the title is a scripture reference] takes woven hands' previous recordings,along with 16HP energy, and fuses it marvelously.Edwards sits in an awkward position:a believing Christian who does not fit into a niche that often is associaited with alot of "christian music"{UGH}Perhaps because it is; A] Good and B}literate he is blessedly passed over by the pablum machine which drives much of that industry. There are some true standouts on this album:Sparrow Falls, Chest of Drawers, the reworking of the old Lutheran hymn,Down in Yon Forest.Edwards sings with the knowledge of a man who has fought the demons within,failed alot, and knows the dawn and a reckoning is coming. He is rapidly becoming my favorite contemporary artist. This is the best recording I have heard in quite sometime,infintely superior to much of what is churned out. Quite simply, this is David Eugene Edwards masterpiece.

Consider the Birds; the best from David Eugene Edwards yet.......2005-09-02

For fans of Sixteen Horsepower, Woven Hand comes highly reccommended. After their split early in 2005, any of those still in need of their unique, bleak take on the world can look to Woven Hand for more. David Eugene Edwards, the vocalist, songwriter, and banjo/bandoneon player of Sixteen Horsepower formed Woven Hand as a side project while the rest of the band took a break from touring. Now, even though Sixteen Horsepower no longer exists, Woven Hand and Lilium (the band formed by Pascal Humbert and Jean Yves-Tola, the other members of 16 horsepower), are still going strong.
Consider the Birds is the best of Woven Hand yet.
Look for more excellent records from Woven Hand in the future.

woven hand...music with a soul!.......2005-08-06

not a weak track on the cd! fans of 16 horsepower (now disbanded) don't despair. david eugene edwards really shines on this cd. if you are looking for something different; non-commercial, thoughtful, introspective, and quietly powerful, you've found it in this cd!

One strange little album.......2005-01-05

I recently picked up this record because it was recommended to me by a friend whose taste I trust. I wasn't a fan, never heard of David whats-his-name or 16 Horsepower before, but I am now. Consider the Birds is one of the most unique records I've heard all year. The strange and dark songs are reminicent of Dead Can Dance and Leonard Cohen but with a bizarre Christian poetic vision and a bluegrass gospel-gothic twist. I'm not sure what David Eugene Edwards is on about half the time other than he loves (or fears) Jesus/god. This is more visionary poetry put to music than cojent wordplay or religious dogma. He doesn't seem to have an agenda other than to create a powerful emotional response in the listener. I am not a Christian by any stretch of the imagination and usually find religious lyrics to be either uninteresting or offensive such as most (not all) Christian music or laughable, such as the satanic pretentions of black metal (love the music though). But this album's poetry is truly and darkly beautiful, mysterious and powerfully moving. God's love might not be available but his judgement sure is inevitable. David Eugene Edward's god is the old testament one of fire and damnation: its God's way or the highway. And what God wants is a bit misterious and unfathomable to us mere humans, at least to this listener. The music is emotionally complex (there's some chills down the spine stuff here), melodic, and I'm gonna get some more. "The world will bow, the knees will be broken for those who don't know how."

..........2004-12-19

Someone compared Woven Hand's last album to a walk in a dark,creepy forest. It was dense, eerie, and things just sort of appeared here and there. Well, if that's the case, then Consider the Birds is like reaching the end of the woods and realizing everything is still dark and scary as hell. It's not as dense or epic as Blush Music, but it brings a new energy. Edwards wails like his soul depends on it. The guitars wind and weave, the drums make sure you won't fall asleep anytime soon, and the lyrics are as stark and confrontational as you'll find anywhere. Amen, Brother Edwards, Amen.

Average customer rating:

No more 16 horsepower.
A rich mixture of unique music....
quick comment
oh my god
Folky yet not

Woven Hand
Woven Hand
Manufacturer: Sounds Familyre
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Folklore
Sackcloth 'n' Ashes
Olden
Low Estate
Mosaic

ASIN: B00008DKBL
Release Date: 2003-03-04

Tracks:

The Good Hand
My Russia
Blue Pail Fever
Glass Eye
Wooden Brother
Ain't No Sunshine
Story And Pictures
Arrow Head
Your Russia
Last Fist

Customer Reviews:

No more 16 horsepower........2006-08-26

The creepy youthful energy of the first three 16 horsepower cds is what I'll always remember Edwards for. His new stuff is slow, somber and depressing. I just wish he'd go back to his old school, redneck, banjo plucking, chicken clucking, wisky swigging, porch dwelling, Bible thumping, white trash, roots. That stuff was fun to listen to and sing along with.

A rich mixture of unique music...........2005-04-20

From the start, it felt like I was listening to an old, familiar classic written in the days when 'artists' cared enough to take the time and effort to create something excellent and unpredictable. Nothing in here could be considered 'filler.' I HIGHLY recommend this cd. Parts of a couple of songs remind me vaguely of the Irish band, Hothouse Flowers. Other than that, I cannot come up with a comparison to the sound of this cd. It is simply wonderful.

quick comment.......2004-02-01

I could possibly write a review of this album that would not be redundant. The reviewers before me have done an excellent job.
Therefore, i would just like to assert that the reviewer before me is a twit. Thankyou.

oh my god.......2003-07-31

The songs sound pretty enough, but really have nothing going on beneath the surface. No hooks, no lyrical drama, no surprises, nothing at all inside the pretty package. In fact, there is really no reason to listen to If We Meet in the Future more than once, which is too bad because the band has so much going for it.

The two top U.S. officials in charge of the search for Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction will tell lawmakers Thursday that the United States has not discovered a "smoking gun," but has growing evidence of an "active WMD program,"

Folky yet not.......2003-05-22

This album is quite frankly amazing. I'll have to thank aqariusrecords.org for exposing me to it. I have never heard anything like this before. The album is dark, moody, entrancing. It will woo you in and hold you until the last track. Check out the latest album Blush Music or Eugene's previous band 16 Horsepower for even more of this unique sound.

Average customer rating:

No need for me to blush
Blush
Darkwave meets bluegrass?
Superb Music

Blush Music
Woven Hand
Manufacturer: Sounds Familyre
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Folklore
Olden
Sackcloth 'n' Ashes
Live
Black River Falls

ASIN: B0000C0FJT
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Tracks:

Cripplegate (Standing on Glass)
Animalitos (Ain't No Sunshine)
White Bird
Snake Bite
My Russia (Standing on Hands)
Way
Aeolian Harp (Under the World)
Your Russia (Without Hands)
Another White Bird
Story and Pictures

Customer Reviews:

No need for me to blush.......2006-09-20

I never wanted to be associated with country music or any religion but these guys make it sound okay for me.

It's an experiment on mixing styles and those styles are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Think about these duos religion-darkness, new age-bluegrass, classic-industrial sound etc... THE NICE PART: THEY ARE ALL THERE AND LIVE WELL TOGETHER maybe we should take exemple on that with humandiversity. Lyrics are exceptionals and singing use a nice tone.

Last year I went on their website and burnt 3 songs that I really liked "White bird", "My Russia" and "Sparrow falls". I ended up buying their 2 albums and discover a lot more. Songs I've downloaded were even better on cd because they were extended. I'd say now my two favorites are the heavy "Your russia" (where he sounds like he's angry but restrain himself to speak teeth close) and the happy "Cripplegate".

Blush.......2004-08-03

What you should know before buying this, is that it was the music for Wim Vandekeybus' "Blush" a wonderful choreography. Some voices and laughs you might hear are the voices of the dancers. I can't even begin to describe the feelings, or the memories of the choreography, that this CD caused to me. Enjoy the voyage

Darkwave meets bluegrass?.......2004-05-14

After listening to an album as beautiful as this, I feel that any attempt to describe it in words will destroy the beauty. But how else can I communicate the treasure that this album is?

During the first two songs, a succinct description that comes to mind is "darkwave meets bluegrass," mainly due to the use of banjo in these slow, haunting tunes. But after track two, the banjo disappears and the sound seems to move to a kind of alternative rock with the influence of Native American music sounds. So then is it "darkwave meets western"? I guess that's part of what appeals to me about this album: I've never heard anything like it, so I can't file it away in any category. It is fresh and unique.

All of the songs are dark and very slow, but never do I feel that the album drags; it is beautiful, it is mesmerizing.

Instrumentation varies somewhat by song. The first two songs use banjo with fluid, sliding electric guitars; "Aeolian Harp" uses an organ while the vocals and electric guitars groan. "The Way" is a brief instrumental that uses a slide guitar with interesting percussive instruments. The instruments in "Snake Bite" sound rusty, if you can imagine what I mean by that, then in the latter part of the song, a stringed instrument is used, perhaps a cello, and the bow is bounced on the strings for an interesting effect. "Story And Pictures" starts with floating darkwave-style strings, then moves to piano. Electric guitars are used in various ways in all the songs.

Added sound effects provide an imaginary landscape. A sound in "Story And Pictures" reminds me of a woodpecker or a slowly creaking door; it is accompanied by church tower bells. I can't even begin to describe the interesting sounds found in the 5-minute mood-setting introduction of the 14-minute song, "Animalitos." All I can say is, they paint a vivid mental picture through sound.

The male vocals are usually at low register, with a pensive mood. Several of the songs have no vocals at all.
Speaking of vocals, here are a couple lyrics that stand out to me:
From "Cripplegate": "I wish to know nothing here, save for the blood of the cross; in you alone there is no harm."
From "Story And Pictures": "...tough-skin cowboy; idle hands, they rust..."
From "Aeolian Harp": "There is no buffalo outside, rifle child; it is more than hunger that betrays my heart."

If you are interested in hearing something unusual, something dark and beautiful, I highly recommend this album.

Superb Music.......2003-12-02

This is quite the follow up album to the self titled release. The songs are much longer and drawn out, but not in a boring or tedious fashion. The fact that it is now a domestic release is a bonus to fans here, I imported this puppy. Well worth the $25 I paid for it.

Tracks:

Breathing Bull
Winter Shaker
Swedish Purse
Twig
Whistling Girl
Elktooth
Bible and Bird
Dirty Blue
Slota Prow/Full Armour
Truly Golden
Deerskin Doll
Little Raven

Album Details

David Eugene Edwards (Aka Woven Hand) Delivered his Fourth Album and his Masterpiece. The Album Again was Put to Tape by Robert Ferbrache, a One-time Lap-steel Player in 16 Hp who Runs Absinthe Studios in Denver. He Doesn't Stray Much from his Signature Sound: Mournful, Minor Key Dirges Within which Edwards Ruminates on his Recurring Themes of Faith, the Fallibility of Man, and the Folly of the Non-believer. But on "Mosaic", He Unleashes a Maelstrom of Intensity and Conviction that is as Captivating as it is Deeply Spiritual. This is It. The One. It's Magical, Dark, Mysterious, Sinister and Gorgeous.

Customer Reviews:

an expansive and minor key world of darkness and drama, lost souls and true love.......2006-09-17

I have long been huge a fan of Mr. David Eugene Edwards, formerly of Southern Gothic swamp folk outfit 16 Horsepower, currently performing as Woven Hand, a band that takes the swampy folk of 16HP somewhere even darker, a world of imminent damnation, and dreams of glorious salvation. The music of Woven Hand is a dark and brooding, fire and brimstone, apocalyptic doom folk, with Edwards testifying like his life depended on it. And maybe it does. Edwards makes no bones about being a Christian, and the music of Woven hand plays like the Old Testament come to life.
Damnation and suffering, a cold cruel world, the only hope of life everlasting is to somehow weather the harsh and hellish, to bow down and be lifted up.

And the thing is you don't necessarily have to be religious to be terrified of death and suffering, or eternal torture, and even the staunchest atheist might think twice if offered a chance at eternal life, and eternal happiness. Typically, the word of God, the usual messages from on high, repent or die, do unto others, are hugely heavy handed, granted, they are meant to be as they do concern your eternal life, but when delivered in the context of the Woven Hand, some of us find our agnostic selves chilled to the bone, the fear of God, -some- God anyway, gets us quaking in our boots.

But it's more about the delivery than the message for us, and from a purely musical approach Woven Hand's music is gloriously grim, an expansive and minor key world of darkness and drama, lost souls and true love, simple strummed guitars, dramatic understated strings, fiddles and wheezing accordions, haunting arrangements, bizarre percussion, strange FX and incredibly intense ambience, and of course Edwards' gorgeously affecting croon: dramatic, intense, emotional, but so obviously troubled, conflicted, hopeful too, yet streaked with a dark despair.
So although Woven Hand's chillingly morose gothic twang is perfect on its own, when tangled up with Edwards' moody tales of punishment and salvation, of love and death, it takes on even more emotional weight.

And compared to the first Woven Hand record, Edwards seems to slowly be moving away from the sound of 16 Horespower, the first Woven Hand could have been another 16HP record, but such is the way with records like that, a 'solo' record from the band member who wrote most of the music for the band he just left. But each record has been getting darker, more personal, disturbingly so, but at the same time, more epic, more cinematic, and more and more beautiful.

Brilliant.......2006-09-03

David Eugene Edwards has had a hand in some of the most intense music of the past few years. Be it in his original group 16 Horsepower or more recently Woven Hand, Edwards has a knack for putting listeners under a captivating emotional trance. The newest Woven Hand album is titled Mosaic and will release in America this month via Sounds Familyre.

Edwards almost sounds like a King David singing psalms over an incredibly Gothic and old fashioned backing. The albums opening 90 second instrumental gives way to Winter Shaker that sets the albums mood with its use of traditional instruments and Edwards tormented wail. Winter Shaker is followed by Swedish Purse which makes use of both a banjo and creepy church organ that intentionally evokes a grave sense of uneasiness. Much like the work of Nick Cave the darkness reflected here is something that you can't turn away from. Stylistically the album is similar to their previous release but instead of evolving its almost as if they devolved sounding highly influenced by medieval times. Touches of the modern age filter in by albums end starting with the organ laced, almost upbeat instrumental Bible And Bird. The album closes out with the bizarre Little Raven/Shun that starts out with slightly over one minute of instrumental music followed by almost a minute of complete silence then Edwards chimes in with an effects drenched voice over a minimalist backing.

David Eugene Edwards is a musical genius. The slight changes he has made here are far from drastic but the album is a worthy purchase. I recommend this release to any fan of Edwards' previous work, Nick Cave or traditional and sacred music.

Reprinted from BUZZGRINDER.COM

Sweet Sorrow.......2006-09-02

Beautiful in such a dark way...I know, I know, my reviews suck, but I feel like I need to speek out in some way. Sorry that I can't come up with a paragraph explaining the perfections of this album...It's just sweet sorrow!

Average customer rating:

Charming and inventive!
Magical
A true gem!
Excellent instrumental & wordless vocals - very soothing

Hand Woven
Lorin Grean
Manufacturer: Silver Wave
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | International | Styles | Music

New Age | Celtic | International | Styles | Music

Fusion | Celtic | International | Styles | Music

Celtic New Age | New Age | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

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Released

ASIN: B000000PPT
Release Date: 1997-02-18

Tracks:

Through Zara's Eyes
Starlight Journey
In Pursuit
The Grey Cat's Night Prowl
Sailing The Skies
Calico Toes
Hand Woven
The Bengal's Secret
Night Vision
Spindrift

Customer Reviews:

Charming and inventive!.......2002-11-30

With playful, jazzy, original compositions, harpist Lorin Grean weaves laughter and magic through the loom of her Celtic harp, while singing along in an enticing, wordless vocalise. I bought this CD expecting something rather traditional, and found these fluid, even mischievous songs to be a delightful surprise. The sinuous, luxuriant, mysterious character of Grean's compositions lends itself perfectly to her primary topic on this release: the adventures of cats. Kevin DiSimone, on keyboards and background vocals, and a variety of other musicians add to the richness of the music, and Charlie Bisharat's violin in particular sounds quite "meow-ful". If you are a cat fan, this CD makes a perfect accompaniment for a reading or rereading of Tad Williams' whimsical book "Tailchaser's Song". Or just listen as you play with your pet(s) and watch their antics. Lorin Grean's other release, "Spinning Gold", features more of her playful arrangements, this time using classic rock tunes as the source material. If you enjoy the work of Lorin Grean, you will also like the innovative harpistry of Kim Robertson, Thomas Loefke and Andreas Vollenweider.

Magical.......2000-11-08

Lorin's work is amazing to me. I've seen her perform live in Santa Barbara. What a talented musician who pours her heart, soul and energy into her work. And of course, The Radiance Technique is part of this wonderful CD!

A true gem!.......1998-11-15

Stumbled upon this CD by accident (a lucky bargain bin find) and never grow tired of it -- it's haunting and enchanting and luscious. I too am looking for more by Lorin Grean!

Excellent instrumental & wordless vocals - very soothing.......1998-11-04

Wonderful listening. "Starlight Journey" is worth the price alone. Looking for other works by Lorin Grean to immediately add to the collection.

Average customer rating:

Mojo Presents the Quiet Revolution
Kevin Ayers , Akron Family , Diane Cluck , Vashti Bunyan , Pentangle , Woven Hand , James Yorkston , Josephine Foster , John and Beverley Martin , and Sweet Billy Pilgrim
Manufacturer: Mojo
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Folk | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000PT166I

Product Description

1. Kevin Ayers - All this crazy gift of time 2. akron family - gone beyond 3. diane cluck - all i bring you is love 4. vashti bunyan - rose hip novenber 5. pentangle - helping hand 6. woven hands - swedish purse 7. shelagh mcdonald - stargazer 8. james yorkston - summer song 9. josephine foster - there are eyes above 10. john and beverley martyn - go out and get it 11. bert jansch - the black swan 12. espers - children of stone 13. davy graham - blues raga 14. pete brown and piblokto -broken magic 15. sweet billy pilgrim - stars spill out of cups

Average customer rating:

Blush
Woven Hand
Manufacturer: Glitterhouse Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000083EBQ
Release Date: 2003-03-11

Tracks:

Cripplegate (Standing On Glass)
Animalitos (Aint No Sunshine)
White Bird
Snake Bite
My Russia (Standing On Hands)
The Way
Aeolian Harp (Under The World)
Your Russia (Without Hands)
Another White Bird
Story And Pictures

Album Description

2003 solo album from David Eugene Edwards, the voice of 16 Horsepower. For fans of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. Sleeve includes lyrics & credits. 10 tracks. Glitterhouse.

Average customer rating:

Folksy, Etherial, like Echo, XTC
This pilgrim's progress

Woven Hand
Woven Hand
Manufacturer: Glitt
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000632LL
Release Date: 2003-09-23

Tracks:

Good Hand
My Russia
Blue Pail Fever
Glass Eye
Wooden Brother
Ain't No Sunshine
Stormy and Pictures
Arrow Head
Your Russia
Last First

Album Description

2002 solo album from David Eugene Edwards the voice of 16 Horsepower. For fans of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds.

Customer Reviews:

Folksy, Etherial, like Echo, XTC.......2002-10-10

No fancy review here, just a guy who's careful with his $$ and loves good music. I heard only snippets of this album on NPR, but the bits available online (google search for Woven Hand's home page) justified the purchase. I bought this for the musical composition, and only realized the spiritual subject matter after reading the liner notes. Fine by me, I happen to enjoy the viewpoint, but to be honest, this is the first such album I've ever enjoyed. The religious overtones aren't the point, but add to the mood. Nice.

There *is* a bit of a dark, almost etherial tone to much of the album, but the pace doesn't ever drag, seems appropriate to each song, and there are a number of songs that pick up the pace. Very well balanced, well mixed, good flow.

Other things to try if you like it:
Echo and the Bunnymen: Heaven up Here, or Porcupine, either has that etherial, dark mood, grab some headphones, put it on and chill.
U2: Joshua Tree
XTC: Mummer
Material: Seven Souls (a stretch, but it's world religion commentary, rapped out to a raga beat by William S. Burroughs. Sorry, it popped into my head like the Sta-Puft marshmallow man)

Later.

This pilgrim's progress.......2002-08-01

David Eugene Edwards, the long-time front man for those remarkable gothabilly rockers Sixteen Horsepower, has taken his loyal fans on a thoughtful side trip in "Woven Hand." The curious but colorful album art may give one a hint that this project is of a slightly different breed than previous efforts.

This work features a keyboard-oriented sound that lends the songs a lighter touch to complement the underlying drone. The lyrics are at times David's most spiritual and even sentimental, but what a distressing sentimentality. Yes there is a romantic element here, but this is not a picnic free of dark and threatening skies.

David, as always, has taken this chance to do some soul searching, but here it seems focused and thematic. "Blue Pail Fever" is a travelogue of sorts, taking us with him to the uttermost parts of his own journey as an artist, contemplating the sacrifice and confidence of his savior. The inspiration is clear, even in the darkness of his despair.

"Arrowhead" is an immediate favorite, asking questions and telling the story of a young pilgrim's progress, reminding us how mistakes often have consequences. Similarly, "Glass Eye" laments human frailty and hubris in the presence of grace. Even more compelling is "Wooden Brother" with its bright but haunting melody, driving this brooding memoir to an intensity that is hard to deny.

"Story and Pictures" sounds like the song David Edwards has been working on his whole career long. Boys growing up too soon, repentance coming far too slow, grace burning it all away. "The Good Hand" is similar in its tale of persistent mercy and loving-kindness in the face of death, decay and corruption.

The bookends of "My Russia" and "Your Russia" recount personal conviction and promise ultimate sanctification with an intensity and plain sincerity only David Edwards might be capable of producing. The slip and the grip of grace.

The project itself is woven together by the recurrent sounds and sonic themes, one of which might be described as locusts on a warm summer's night that take on different moods and intensities as the album progresses. Some songs simply blend together (a technique that drives DJs crazy) an effect that lends the work a continuity that would otherwise be lost.

A curious addition here is the cover of "Ain't No Sunshine," one that would make Bill Withers sit up and take note. But the melody line is there and so is the intention. I guess hillbillies can get lonely too.

Check out my homepage for more 16hp reviews and links.

The Quiet Revolution - A Summer Folk Compendium
Average customer rating:
The Quiet Revolution - A Summer Folk Compendium
Various
Manufacturer: MOJO
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000M0HWT0