The Hidden Hand "The Resurrection of Whiskey Foote" (Southern Lord)
By Jeff Treppel
Monday. Mar 26, 12:55 PM
Movin’ to the country, gonna drink a lot of whiskey...

A concept album about, no kidding, a country bumpkin Christ coming back from the grave to advocate natural livin', The Hidden Hand's latest opus adds a big old dose of moonshine to their usual political-minded stoner doom. Whether it's the worn vinyl packaging with backwoods scenes in the booklet or the lo-fi production or the fact that it was recorded in a place called "The Barn," The Resurrection of Whiskey Foote has a subtle rustic feeling to it. That feeling was exactly what their music needed to give guitarist/vocalist Wino Weinreich's latest band its own identity and catapult them closer to the hallowed ranks of his classic outfits, St. Vitus and The Obsessed.

The Resurrection of Whiskey Foote starts off a bit slow, and not really in a good way. The first two tracks are forgettable and short and don't really go anywhere, but things pick up come "Dark Horizons." That starts off with a Led Zeppelin drum roll, and then kicks into pure Hidden Hand bludgeoning doom riffage. The next two songs are perfect examples of how the band excel at taking other people's licks and making them their own. "Spiritually Bereft" slows down the opening from "South of Heaven" and spins off from there, while "The Lesson" utilizes a "Cochise"-like riff far better than Audioslave ever did. The undisputed standout, however, remains the insanely catchy "Lightning Hill," which roars out of the gate with a scorching harmonica jam courtesy of Michael Anthony Miller and barely slows down from there. It's true to its name: positively electrifying.

While not up to the quality of Born Too Late or Lunar Womb, this is by far The Hidden Hand's best record. It would be nice if the track list was a little more consistent, but this power trio continues to improve with each album. If you're a fan of Wino or stoner doom in general, grab a bottle of Jack Daniels and enjoy.
www.thehiddenhand.com
www.southernlord.com

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Jeff Treppel

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