David Eugene Edwards returns with Wovenhand’s fifth studio album, The Threshingfloor. The band’s music, as always, draws on traditional Americana sounds, mixed liberally with influences from Native American, Middle Eastern, and Celtic tradition. He also continues to draw on his deeply-held religious beliefs, putting him in a category all his own: respected indie-type musician writing overtly Christian music without being pigeonholed into any sort of religious genre. For the most part, Wovenhand’s music can be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of belief. Just close your eyes and let yourself be drawn in by the urgency of Edwards’ voice, instead.
Stand-out tracks include “Sinking Hands”, “Truth”, “Wheat Straw”, and the title track, “The Threshingfloor”.
The Threshingfloor is out now. Catch Wovenhand on tour when they stop by Lincoln Hall on September 28th.
Less commentary from me, more sleeping, which is what I’m going to go do right now.
Monday, July 26
Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens, Bomba Estereo; Millennium Park. 6:30 pm, free
Robbie Fulks, Hideout. 7 pm, $10 suggested donation
David Dondero, The Heligoats, Animal City; Schubas. 8 pm, $8
Tuesday, July 27
Gaslight Anthem, House of Blues. 6 pm, $21-23
Marc Broussard, Jeffery David; SPACE. 8 pm, $30-40
Smashing Pumpkins, Kill Hannah; Metro. 8 pm, $100-500 (benefit for Madina Lake bassist Matthew Leone)
Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens, JC Brooks and The Uptown Sound, Daytonics, Soul Summit DJs; Empty Bottle. 9:30 pm, $15
Wednesday, July 28
Keane, Ingrid Michaelson, Fran Healy; Chicago Theatre. 7 pm, $29.50-49.50
Thursday, July 29
Todd Carey, Jessica Robbins, Josiah Leming; Lincoln Hall. 8 pm, $10
Friday, July 30
Anna Fermin’s Trigger Gospel; Navy Pier Beer Garden. 5 pm, free
The Barehand Jugband; Hideout. 5:30 pm, $5 suggested donation
The Dead Weather; Congress Theater. 8 pm, $35
Tift Merritt, Dawn Landes and the Hounds; Lincoln Hall. 9 pm, $18
Saturday, July 31
The Right Now, JT and the Clouds, Dan Dyer; Lincoln Hall. 10 pm, $10
Retribution Gospel Choir’s sophomore album, appropriately titled 2, is already an early frontrunner to make it onto my Favorites of 2010 list. ”Hide it Away” kicks the album off, and it’s a perfect start — it grabbed my attention and still manages to suck me in for the rest of the tracks.
You started to shake
You could not even say your lines
The graft didn’t take
Now it’s holding you back sometimes
You hide it away
You hide it away, child
As usual for the summer, there are a ton of great shows going on which also happen to be free. Trek on down to Millennium Park or Navy Pier to check out some cost-free tunes.
As for me, I’m hoping to make it to the Hideout tonight, and then on Friday I’ll be at the Langhorne Slim/Ha Ha Tonka show, and Saturday is Heartless Bastards/Peter Wolf Crier.
Tuesday, July 20
Patrick Park, Heather Styka; Schubas. 8 pm, $10
Wednesday, July 21
Nathaniel Rateliff, JBM; Schubas. 9 pm, $10
Thursday, July 22
Josh and the Empty Pockets, Juniper Mays; Park Grill. 4 pm, free
Natalie Merchant, Chicago Theatre. 8 pm, $38.50-48.50
Nick Tremulis, Deanna Devore; SPACE. 8 pm, $12-15
Derek Nelson and the Musicians, Ceiling Stars, Zach Pietrini and the Broken Bones; Martyrs. 9 pm, $7
Scott H. Biram, Lasers and Fast and Shit, Roses Pawn Shop; Double Door. 9 pm, $10
Friday, July 23
Juana Molina, Jim Elkington; Old Town School of Folk Music. 8 pm, $18-22
Langhorne Slim, Ha Ha Tonka, Young Man; Lincoln Hall. 10 pm, $14
Saturday, July 24 The Right Now; Navy Pier. 5 pm, free
Heartless Bastards, The Builders and the Butchers, Peter Wolf Crier; Bottom Lounge. 8 pm, $16
Jane and The Steadfast Acrobats, The Future Laureates, Mike Mangione and The Union, Sarah Holtschlag and The Crosscuts, The Sunken Ship; Lincoln Hall. 8:30 pm, $7
Danny Chaimson, Facing Winter; Schubas. 10 pm, $10
Sunday, July 25
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, Millennium Park. 12 pm, free
David Eugene Edwards returns with Wovenhand’s fifth studio album, The Threshingfloor. The band’s music, as always, draws on traditional Americana sounds, mixed liberally with influences from Native American, Middle Eastern, and Celtic tradition. He also continues to draw on his deeply-held religious beliefs, putting him in a category all his own: respected indie-type musician writing overtly Christian music without being pigeonholed into any sort of religious genre. For the most part, Wovenhand’s music can be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of belief. Just close your eyes and let yourself be drawn in by the urgency of Edwards’ voice, instead.
