Released 10th August 2009 on Beautiful Happiness
Jack Rose and the Black Twig Pickers is a raw, hard-hitting collaboration between the steel-guitar master that is Rose and folk / bluegrass / country blues trio that are the Black Twig Pickers and features some of the most swinging, hard-hitting string music waxed in many a decade.
Rose’s solo playing has always had a tough edge, with his prodigious technique often employed to drop right-hand bombs. The front line of Rose and Gangloff’s strings are joined by Isak Howell’s no-nonsense guitar and harmonica and Nate Bowles’ variety of expert percussion. The four lock together with a sure-footedness honed by frequent touring and a singularity of intent to rock.
Gangloff takes the vocals, howling out standards like “Little Sadie” firmly in the old-time tradition—without reserve. A few of the tracks here are updates of Rose & Family classics, with the group taking the stately “Kensington Blues” and turning it into something more upbeat as well as issuing an assured take on “Bright Sunny South,” which was originally recorded by Pelt (with Rose and Gangloff) back in 2001 on their gonzo classic double-disc Ayahuasca.
“Jack Rose and The Black Twig Pickers tell it well, from their side of the ocean, without making an effort to be accessible, palatable, academic or lo-fi. It’s a big fuck you to the gentrification (and homogenisation) of traditional American folk music.” Strangeglue
“[Jack Rose is] one of this century’s finest guitar players” The Wire
“engrossing” Uncut
“inspired” Mojo
Rose’s solo playing has always had a tough edge, with his prodigious technique often employed to drop right-hand bombs. The front line of Rose and Gangloff’s strings are joined by Isak Howell’s no-nonsense guitar and harmonica and Nate Bowles’ variety of expert percussion. The four lock together with a sure-footedness honed by frequent touring and a singularity of intent to rock.
Gangloff takes the vocals, howling out standards like “Little Sadie” firmly in the old-time tradition—without reserve. A few of the tracks here are updates of Rose & Family classics, with the group taking the stately “Kensington Blues” and turning it into something more upbeat as well as issuing an assured take on “Bright Sunny South,” which was originally recorded by Pelt (with Rose and Gangloff) back in 2001 on their gonzo classic double-disc Ayahuasca.
“Jack Rose and The Black Twig Pickers tell it well, from their side of the ocean, without making an effort to be accessible, palatable, academic or lo-fi. It’s a big fuck you to the gentrification (and homogenisation) of traditional American folk music.” Strangeglue
“[Jack Rose is] one of this century’s finest guitar players” The Wire
“engrossing” Uncut
“inspired” Mojo
