Withered Hand - You're Not Alone EP

After the rollicking full band sing-along of first EP Religious Songs, this second EP showcases the more reflective side of Withered Hand's Dan Willson, here performing solo with a beautifully restrained multi-instrumental accompaniment by King Creosote, who also produced. The same endearingly fragile delivery and razor sharp one-liners remain, but this time around the emotional clout is a whole lot more forceful. Opener No Cigarettes with its Dylan-esque rolling guitar and Oldsmobile Car (aka Red Candle Bulb) with its killer line "I am what was once widely known as a sensitive soul" are accompanied by a moving tribute to the late local artist Paul Carter and a transcendental harmony-laden version of Tiger Saw's R U Courageous. Gorgeous, and a must for modern folk fans.