WOVEN HAND

WOVEN HAND's debut sounds like an alt country group ensnared in the vortex of a Gothic cathedral. It's eerie, macabre, and dangerous music with oddly comforting lyrics to Christian and Atheist alike. All these features may well have been borrowed from the mother ship "16 Horsepower", whom I have yet to hear, so clearly a knowledge of that band is no prerequisite to enjoyment of this offshoot.

The instrumentation is somewhat sparse and skewed to the acoustic, but with colorful and simple keyboard accompaniment. The melodies are rich and foreboding while uplifting, and can be compared to the best of well known and obscure bands like DOORS, JOHNNY CASH, JOY DIVISION, PROMETHEAN, MEN THEY COULDN'T HANG, DEAD CAN DANCE, and even occasionally the more brooding Mike Pinder centric MOODY BLUES ("Your Russia") and the paranoia of early RUPERT HINE ("Wooden Brother"). While the overwhelming mood is morose, "Pale Blue Fever", "Glass Eye", and "Arrow Head" are all relatively uptempo, the latter beginning with a celtic inspired jig of sorts, or at least WOVEN HAND's closest approximation of such.

If there is a flaw here, it might be that the lack of tracks that I consider downright awesome, but, on the flip side, it's all good or better, mostly better. This is soul saving music that connects viscerally to one's intellect. I couldn't pray for more.