The band began in 2001 as a solo project for Edwards while his primary group, 16 Horsepower, were taking a temporary hiatus. The band's first live shows were performed by Edwards and multi-instrumentalist Daniel McMahon; the debut, self-titled Wovenhand album was released in 2002 on Glitterhouse Records. Performances following this record were executed by Edwards, McMahon, drummer Ordy Garrison and cellist Paul Fonfara. 2003 saw a release of Blush Music, the score to a dance performance mostly composed of reworked material from the first record. Touring behind this album saw Shane Trost replacing Fonfara.
In 2004, Consider the Birds was released on the Sounds Familyre label, who has also released the previous Wovenhand releases domestically. Edwards performed the bulk of the instrumentation in the studio; he and Garrison toured behind the record as a two-piece.
2005 saw both the demise of 16 Horsepower and the Wovenhand debut of guitarist Peter van Laerhoven, a Belgian guitarist - McMahon and Trost were now inactive with the group. 2006's Mosaic album featured more input from Garrison and van Laerhoven, but still read like an Edwards solo album for the most part. Touring behind the record saw the inclusion of Pascal Humbert, 16 Horsepower's founding and long-time bassist. Nonetheless, Edwards also played solo tours at this time billed as Wovenhand.
2008's Ten Stones, conversely, was the first record from the group written and performed collaboratively; the project had thus evolved into a proper band, albeit with Edwards firmly at its head.
Since 2002, they have released 8 albums: Woven Hand (2002), Blush Music (February 2003), Consider The Birds (2004), Mosaic (2006), Ten Stones (2008), The Threshingfloor (2010), The Laughing Stalk (2012) and Refractory Obdurate (2014).
The current members of the live band (as of 2008) are Ordy Garrison (also of Slim Cessna's Auto Club) on drums, Peter van Laerhoven on guitar, and Pascal Humbert (also of 16 Horsepower and currently Lilium) on bass.
http://www.wovenhandmosaic.com
Bleary Eyed Duty
Woven Hand Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Thoughts take you away again
And when you leave me where do you go
Already I've forgotten that you wait for me
At the end of my thoughts I twist and turn
Myself a knot
You remain in this my age of reason
If I withhold nothing it is my bleary eyed duty
I speak to my own
Wooden knees neath the table
I have the love of family
Bright as judgment in my wake
Hands down the grain of wood
Wrought iron eighteen cedar
If is a comfort for me to know
You will it that I need her
She remains in this my age of reason
She loves me truly truly
If I withhold nothing it is my bleary eyed duty
Your tears fall at the drop of my hat
Trouble and suffering yeah yeah yeah all of that
I'm wearing down your Sunday shoes
Out of my head it is you I choose
Lovely feathers I can't refuse
It's like the moon just walked in the room
Hey sober in spirit yeah sober in mind
A holy fuzz comes through the line
In his time
You remain in this my age of reason
You love me truly truly
If I withhold nothing it is my bleary eyed duty
The lyrics of Woven Hand's song "Bleary Eyed Duty" are filled with emotional turmoil and a sense of duty towards a loved one. The singer's anger is compared to a storm that has no rain, suggesting that it is inwardly directed and not expressed outwardly. The thoughts take the singer away again, depicting a state of mind in which the person is lost in their own thoughts and emotions. The question of where the person goes when they leave is raised, adding to the sense of disconnect between the two individuals.
The singer then forgets that the other person is waiting for them at the end of their thoughts, portraying how easy it is to lose sight of those who are important to us. The idea of twisting and turning into a knot at the end of one's thoughts is introduced, indicating a sense of helplessness and confusion. The refrain "If I withhold nothing it is my bleary eyed duty" conveys a sense of obligation and responsibility towards the other person.
The song continues to depict the singer's love for their family and the comfort they find in knowing that the other person will always be there for them. The reference to "wooden knees neath the table" suggests a sense of domesticity and perhaps a nod towards tradition. The comparison of the love of family to judgment is an interesting metaphor, perhaps highlighting the way in which society imposes ideals and expectations upon us.
Overall, "Bleary Eyed Duty" is a melancholy and introspective song that explores the complexity of relationships and our inner turmoil.
Line by Line Meaning
My anger is a storm with no rain
My anger is fierce and powerful, but it is not productive or cathartic.
Thoughts take you away again
I am distracted by my thoughts of you and cannot focus on the present moment.
And when you leave me where do you go
When you are not with me, I wonder where you are and what you are doing.
Already I've forgotten that you wait for me
I am forgetful and sometimes take for granted that you are waiting for me.
At the end of my thoughts I twist and turn
When my thoughts become overwhelming, I become tangled and confused.
Myself a knot
I am tied up in my own emotions and thoughts.
You remain in this my age of reason
Even in my rational and logical moments, I cannot stop thinking about you.
You love me truly truly
I know that you love me deeply and sincerely.
If I withhold nothing it is my bleary eyed duty
It is my responsibility to be completely honest and open with you, even if it is difficult.
I speak to my own
I am talking to myself.
Wooden knees neath the table
My knees are stiff and wooden under the table.
I have the love of family
I am fortunate to have the love and support of my family.
Bright as judgment in my wake
The love of my family is a bright light that follows me and guides me.
Hands down the grain of wood
I am running my hands over the grain of the wood.
Wrought iron eighteen cedar
I am surrounded by sturdy and strong materials.
If is a comfort for me to know
It is comforting for me to know that...
You will it that I need her
...you want me to have her and believe that I need her.
She remains in this my age of reason
Even when I am at my most rational and logical, I cannot stop thinking about her.
She loves me truly truly
I know that she loves me deeply and sincerely.
Your tears fall at the drop of my hat
You cry easily and are sensitive to my moods and actions.
Trouble and suffering yeah yeah yeah all of that
We have experienced trouble and suffering, but we have persevered through it.
I'm wearing down your Sunday shoes
I am causing wear and tear on your nice shoes.
Out of my head it is you I choose
I cannot stop thinking about you and choose you above all else.
Lovely feathers I can't refuse
I am attracted to beautiful things and cannot resist them.
It's like the moon just walked in the room
Your beauty and presence lights up the room and takes my breath away.
Hey sober in spirit yeah sober in mind
I am sober and clear-headed.
A holy fuzz comes through the line
I feel a holy and divine presence.
In his time
In God's timing.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Neptunes Daughter
on The Refractory
"We are not his witness" is incorrect..
The correct lyric is " Are we not His witness?, nevertheless"