Devout followers of David Eugene Edwards and Wovenhand will note that Silver Sash is separated from its predecessor, 2016’s Star Treatment (review here), by about five and a half years, which makes it the longest break between records in the band’s tenure of 20-plus years. Released through Glitterhouse in limited vinyl and CD pressings as well as downloads, it’s the 10th full-length from the band overall (not counting two collaborations with Ultima Vez earlier on) and, understandably, brings a shift in approach on the part of Edwards (also formerly of 16 Horsepower) in working directly on songwriting with guitarist Chuck French.

The narrative (blessings and peace upon it) has it that the nine-track, 32-minute offering was whittled out of/built upward from instrumental pieces by French over the course of four years, with Edwards recording vocals at home after the music was done at French‘s. All this is perhaps intended to account for a shift in aesthetic that, while still finds a song like “Dead Dead Beat” or the subsequent “Omaha” plenty grand and bombastic in the spirit of Star Treatment and the last few records before to an increasing degree — 2014’s Refractory Obdurate (review here), 2012’s The Laughing Stalk (review here) and 2010’s The Threshingfloor (discussed here) each growing a little bolder in engaging heavy tones as well as weighted atmospheres — there are more subdued stretches like “Duat Hawk,” “8 of 9” and the brooding title-track, which closes and sets its melancholy to a burgeoning electric freneticism.

Silver Sash does not represent Edwards‘ first forays into electronic music. Late in 2020, the collaborative single with Carpenter Brut, “Fab Tool” (posted here) was issued, and some of its grand cinematic scope can be heard in “The Lash” or even opener “Tempel Timber,” alongside the familiar shimmer of guitar and Edwards‘ trademark vocal delivery, as rife with proclamations, exaltations and a severe, almost-affronted cadence as ever. “Tempel Timber” hints toward some of Silver Sash‘s more experimental aspects in a quiet midsection, but for fans of Wovenhand‘s early work, the subtly-laced-in percussion that accompanies the subsequent swell should feel like a dogwhistle harkening back to some of the adventurous arrangements of records like 2002’s self-titled debut (discussed here), the aforementioned Ultima Vez collabs, 2006’s Mosaic or 2008’s Ten Stones; a different era of approach for Edwards and company as they evolved out of the neo-folk beginnings of the band and toward the more rock-leaning fare that eventually resulted in Star Treatment.

One way or the other, Wovenhand are individual in terms of their sound. A big part of that is Edward‘s voice, and Silver Sash makes that case efficiently throughout its tracks — of which only “The Lash” and the penultimate “8 of 9” top four minutes long — as a song like “Duat Hawk” finds him calling out Native American tribe names in the lyrics and following the insistent snare of “Acacia” with more open ground and mellower acoustic guitar layered in. There are still plenty of outwardly heavy moments. The later “Sicagnu” rumbles and explodes with volatility, and melodic as it is, and “Dead Dead Beat” hits on the kind of harder-hitting boogie Wovenhand heave leaned toward over the last 10 years, though there too the arrangement feels broader, the jam underneath the ending fluid despite its relative brevity. And with the fuzz and build up of centerpiece track “Omaha” making a constant of its rawer tonal hum, electronic blowout and underlying rhythm that borders on the confrontational, the vibe throughout Silver Sash is certainly not lacking energy.

It’s just less straightforward in how that energy is brought to light. Ultimately, what Silver Sash does is speak to the varying sides of Wovenhand, from the whatever-works-as-long-as-it-makes-the-right-sound style of some of their post-self-titled material to the manifest heavy of the later, emphasizing the dynamic between them, and still managing to accomplish something new (or at least new-ish) in sound by focusing at times on those electronic/software-based elements. It is both traditional and not, Americana and not, and realized with a sense of wholeness that undercuts its quick runtime and speaks to the ongoing creative drive of Wovenhand as a project. I don’t know whether French stepping forward on songwriting was a result of Edwards not having material or not wanting to continue on the path being walked after Star Treatment or what, but Silver Sash steps in a different direction that is encompassing and adds to the mix rather than detracts from the significant achievements of the group over the last 10 years and more.

That leaves the biggest question here as whether Silver Sash is a beginning or an end for Wovenhand, and to what if anything — because it could always be nothing — it might lead. I’m somewhat curious as well both as to the change in processes for the writing and recording, if they were born of pandemic necessity or not. I seem to recall Edwards talking about a new album on social media that was originally due to coincide with touring in 2020/2021. Has Silver Sash been waiting for release all that time? I’m not sure if that actually matters, since they’re hardly the first to have delayed plans, but it feels like it does, though I’ll add that any such delay that might’ve happened does nothing to detract from the urgency in these songs.

At this point, any new offering from Edwards or Wovenhand is going to come with fervent critical hype. Part of that is the fact that, more than 20 years on, Wovenhand are still changing and growing from album to album. It honestly wouldn’t surprise me either way if Silver Sash is the last (for now at least) offering from Wovenhand or if Edwards — the perceived auteur since the outset — loosening the reins of the project to allow for French‘s songwriting flourish will result in a shifted creative balance over more releases to come. Of course it’s impossible to know, and while it’s a quick listen, Silver Sash provides enough substance in the actual listening experience to push such concerns at least to the background if not totally eliminate them. Change may or may not be in the air. I guess we’ll see. Or not.

As always, I hope you enjoy. Thanks for reading.

—

Something different to close the week with a new album. Maybe I’m sneaking in an extra review this time? I don’t know. It felt right so I ran with it. Kinda wish I knew the record was half an hour long when I shelled out $25 to import the CD, but whatever. It’ll go in the archive. And that matters to me. Because I’m a crazy person.

The Patient Mrs. is in New Orleans for work. A conference. I’ve never been there, but I hear mostly nice things. She’ll be back Sunday, which means it’s me and The Pecan hoofing it through Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Little dude misses his mom, which is fair. We’ve video called a couple times. He says “I love you mommy” as fluidly as he says, “I don’t love you, daddy.” Rolls right off his tongue. I’ve taken to responding “Yes you do” and mirroring his giving-you-shit tone. It’s either that or cry.

Next week I’m going to see YOB at Saint Vitus Bar. Tuesday. It’s my first New York show since the start of the pandemic. I’m nervous, but it’s time, it needs to happen, and YOB are an occasion to make it happen. I need to be around people again if I’m ever going to be. And Uncle Acid/King Buffalo is a couple weeks at Brooklyn Steel. I want to see how KB do on that bigger stage.

I think the tour I’m currently booked to go on next month is going to be delayed or canceled. I’ll keep you posted.

Hey, Boris and Bongzilla released a split this week. This week was pretty overwhelming, actually, when it came to news. Today was nine posts? Yesterday was at least six, maybe seven. I don’t even remember Wednesday, but yeah. Plenty. I guess I’m not the only one poking my head above ground.

New Gimme show today at 5PM. http://gimmeradio.com

Thanks for listening if you do, and thanks for reading either way. I hope you have a great and safe weekend. Hydrate, watch your head, all that stuff. Back at it on Monday.

FRM.

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Tags: Colorado, Denver, Glitterhouse Records, Silver Sash, Wovenhand, Wovenhand Silver Sash

This entry was posted on Friday, February 18th, 2022 at 12:55 pm and is filed under Bootleg Theater. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.