Wooden Wand and the Vanishing Voice have been one of the year's biggest successes so far. Sometime late last year, Wooden Wand mainman James Toth put together a solo album, which was previewed on a self-released tape called "Harem of the Sundrum." Now, under the moniker Wooden Wand, we get the full story care of Soft Abuse and Time-Lag, two heavyweights in their own right. What "Harem of the Sundrum & the Witness Figg" shows is that Toth might be even more skilled writing folk/blues dirges than he is concocting the sprawling jams of his full band.
"Harem of the Sundrum & the Witness Figg" is a tale of the journey one takes through all aspects of life. The simple approach on this album is totally deceiving. These tracks sing. Using little more than acoustic guitar, voice, and tape hiss, Toth doesn't hide at all. This is bare and honest album. It harks back to old folk records from the '50s and '60s, or even some even older blues artists. There's something about this record that makes it hard to believe it was recorded in the past year. Toth has tapped into some spiritual iceflow that is flowing through the cosmos. The results are stunning.
So many songs are memorable here that it's hard to know where to start. It opens with the methodic plodding of "Leave Your Pearch..." This is the longest track on the album, clocking in at 6:38. With all of these songs, the lyrics are perhaps the most important dimension to the songs. Toth's dark incantations on this track bring to mind Will Oldham's lyrics, especially on his early records. There's a sense of being lost in these songs. Toth creates a new world with these pieces, and that's something Oldham is a master at.
"Vengeance, pt. 2," "Sundrum Ladies," and "Babylon the Great, pt. 3" come in order on this album and provide the strongest moments on the album. On their own, they're great songs, but in order, taken in one dose, they're perfect. The opening track of this trilogy, "Vengeance, pt. 2" is the most powerful. Toth's words sting, especially as he traverses the chorus and ends it with the exclamation of, "and God says vengeance is mine." It's also the catchiest song on the album, and segues perfectly into the mystical feel of "Sundrum Ladies." This is the dark underbelly of a New Orleans brothel, coming to life aurally. It's a search for salvation. And on some level, it's beautiful. The trilogy ends with "Babylon the Great, pt. 3." Again, another simple song with excellent lyrics, but with an underlying sense that in the end, all is right in the world.
One thing that is never certain is whether or not these tales are autobiographical. But in the end, it's not important. "Eagle Claw" is the true piece de resistance here. It's the arc of "Harem of the Sundrum & the Witness Figg" on which Toth extolls the important lessons which this journey has taught him. He is a storyteller and has no problems wearing different hats. He is indignant. "Don't let your time pass you by," he howls. "Don't save your last words 'til you die," he continues. Toth wants nothing more than to lead those who will follow to salvation. His way of leading the flock is through music, and if "Harem of the Sundrum & the Witness Figg" is an indication, he's going to have a long line following behind him as he traverses the countryside in search of new experiences. 9/10 --
Brad Rose (1 July, 2005)
