Deadman's Hand

The Church - Deadman's Hand EP

As part of the Church's 30th anniversary tour, they released a CD that was given to each ticket holder. The Deadman's Hand EP has now been made available to the public, and if you didn't attend one of their shows this past summer, it's worth picking up. The title track comes from their most recent album, Untitled #23, and is filled out with four new tracks. Honestly, I think it's a stronger release than the album that sprung it. Maybe it's because the songs share a common theme. The references to tombstones, liqour, card games, death and the various wild west imagery scattered throughout becomes a sort of psychedelic spaghetti western concept album. The band's trademark atmostpherics are here, but the songs seem to have a tighter focus. Whether that's brought about by the common threads of the lyrics or the looseness of recording songs that aren't meant for a proper album, the result is a release that deserves to be heard by a wider audience. It's definitely a welcome addition to the band's catalog.

The Church - "Deadman's Hand" (mp3)