Woven Hand is Dave Eugene Edwards, a staunch believer of his sign, the corduroy wearing, bar stool sitting banjo-player and accordionist, his main job is that of singer and front person of Goth country band 16 Horsepower. If you know that and listen to this album, you understand why it sounds the way it sounds: namely like the Gun Club's campfire-fear ballad »Mother Earth«, enriched with a few other, even darker, components, with a few touches of electronics, and portioned out in 10 variations.

Which is one of the most grandiose things one can do at all. All fairytales from an ancient, archaic, puritanical America, that of today. Okay, Mother Russia plays a teeny supporting role, ... but those who know her, with her headscarf and wrinkles, they know that she could easily pose next to an older man with pitchfork for an oil-painting, that should accordingly be titled »American Gothic«.

Woven Hand is a bit looser, doesn't come across quite so gripping as the mother ship 16 Horsepower, but the handwriting (the broad outlines as well as in details) is definitely the same ... and so is the ribbed undervest. So - lights out, light a cigarette, light the wastepaper basket, don't move away too far from the fire and never, ever, ever lose sight of that dark hole under the writing desk