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Rating:
"If I were Cain".
16 horsepower in the tattered garments of three musicians.
In 1995, 16 Horsepower released "Sackcloth 'n' Ashes". But for David Eugene Edwards and company, 1995 is not a year with a singular identity. Nick Cave has already sown his malevolent seeds and has already concluded the violent advance of a group no one would want to see at their birthday party. Joy Division plummeted 15 years ago into Ian Curtis's suicide, while Jeffrey Lee Pierce is about to shoot his final bullet of heroin at himself.
16 Horsepower gather the sacrificial garments and ashes left along the road by these tutelary deities and, donned with the former and dusted with the latter, they surrender to a funeral return to the 19th century. A desperate, furious modern era, in perennial contact with death, fiercely and cautiously enters the same archetypal world where the "bald-headed and gigantic infant", Judge Holden, the symbol of man's and Earth's perennial evil intelligence—Cormack McCarthy's creature—exists.
Edwards is a wayward root of the American song tree. A root with a unique and immense talent for writing epic, ancient songs, simple as only eternal melodies can be. Accompanied by the compact and intelligent rhythmic backdrop created by the excellent drummer Jean-Yves Tola and bassist Keven Soll, Edwards becomes painter and prophet. Banjo and concertina become the brushes of a painting of religiosity where the loving deity of Christian iconography gives way to a god in eternal struggle with evil.
"Black Soul Choir" is the ultimate (and not isolated) masterpiece of "Sackcloth 'n' Ashes"
"Ain't none ever seen the face of his foe no
He ain't made of flesh & bone
He's the one who sits up close beside you
An when he's there you are alone"
The devil ensconced in solitude, presence and absence at once, a monster opposed to divine ubiquity. The absence of hope in fellow humans, raindrops on a land too arid. A god that "is the one you keep cold on the outside, girl". A continuous banjo arpeggio, a double bass, drums. A musical crescendo, a face torn by the devouring awareness that Evil, religiously considered or otherwise, has forces superior to those of Good.
"Black Bush" is a cry in the desert; it's what Old Testament preachers would have sung if transported from the deserts of Asia Minor to the American ones. Never, in the Christianity we know, has the hope for the resurrection of the flesh and for the power of the Risen been painted with such fervent passion: but even here the ingenious melody expresses unease, not joy; and with it tension, weeping, ecstasy, anger.
"Look, see, his bones are gone
He done left the grave
The grip of death it could not hold him down no
It's for him that I rave".
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 I Seen What I Saw (03:25)
I seen ya in your red room laughin'
With your shinin' coffee can
So many wrongs all kinds a goins on
Held my head an ran
But I hid and did a bit more lookin'
Saw ya dancin' on the pine porch creakin'
Mouth open an doors down wide
Here's what was inside
I seen what I saw
An these things I do are wrong, that's all
An these tales I tales i tell are tall
Then I climbed up on the big horse strapin'
Put the spur down to blood
He took off sixteen horses strong
Left me lyin' in mud
An there I sit until the sun's up shinin'
Yes an black stands my ride
Twenty hands high
An watchin' spookeyed
My hands on his side
02 Black Soul Choir (03:51)
Ain't none ever seen the face of his foe no
He ain't made of flesh & bone
He's the one who sits up close beside you
But when he's there you are alone, yeah
Every man is evil, yes, and every man is a liar
Unashamed with the wicked tongues sing
In the black soul choir
Every man is evil, yeah, every man a liar
Unashamed with the wicked tongue
In the black soul choir
Oh, your eyes are smiling
Oh, your eyes are smiling
No man ever seen the face of my lord, no
Not since he left his skin
He's the one you keep cold on the outside, boy
He's at your door let him in
Every man is evil, yes, and every man is a liar
Unashamed with the wicked tongues sing
In the black soul choir
Every man is evil, yeah, every man's a liar
Unashamed with the wicked tongue
In the black soul choir
Oh, your eyes are smiling
Oh, your eyes are smiling
I will forgive your wrongs
I am Abel
For my own I feel great shame, yes
I would offer up a brick to the back of your head boy
If I was Cain
Every man is evil, yes, and every man is a liar
Unashamed with the wicked tongues sing
In the black soul choir
Every man is evil, yeah, every man a liar
Unashamed with the wicked tongue
In the black soul choir
Oh, your eyes are smiling
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah
03 Haw (03:24)
Don't let your mind do all your walking
Boy you'll stumble every time
That road I seen the devil stalking
Dealin' only with the dyin'
Go let the door hit em
Where my hound dog shoulda bit em
Leave him open, leave em there
I don't care
But baby don't look down
Keep your, keep your arms around me
Then he showed me how he caught ya
Like a fish upon the line
Slow reelin' in he brings you closer
Like a poison he takes his time
Roll over little lady
Back and forth and twice around
You're gonna bleed to get away
There ain't no other way round
But baby don't look down
Keep your, keep your arms around me
Hey, hey little baby
There, there little boy
Where, where little angel
Over here my joy
Hey, hey little baby
There, there little girl
Where, where little angel
Over here my pearl
But baby don't look down
Keep your, keep your arms around me
04 Scrawled in Sap (02:47)
O the sky grey orange
And the walls stained blue
And I laid right down on the golden satin with you
Into sween dark circles of beautiful eyes
I go round
O lord
I go round
Will you tell me once again
Cream white skin
You are my friend
S seen you walkin' and your white hips sway
O girl I will have you no more
To the moan in your voice
Not a charm do you lack
Your skin to touch as a black ravens back
But I cannot go far with these words as they rhyme
As to tell, of the pleasure, your hand in mine
And I pray as I say this song in this way
That your eyes they would close an your head begin to sway
And you'll feel how he heals with his blood on our skin
I am yours lady scrawled and thin
Will you tell me once again
Cream white skin
You are my friend
I seen you walkin' in your husband's way
Girl I will have you more
05 Horse Head (03:03)
Oh, the sky, grey orange
And the walls stained blue
And I laid right down on golden satin with you
And the sweet dark circles of beautiful eyes
I go round
Oh, Lord, I go round
Will you tell me once again
Cream white skin, you are my friend
I seen you walkin' and your white hips sway
Oh, girl I will have you no more
The moan in your voice
Not a charm do you lack
Your skin to touch as a black raven's back
But I cannot go far with these words as they rhyme
As to tell, of the pleasure, your hand in mine
And I pray as I say this song in this way
That your eyes they would close
And your head begin to sway
And you feel how he heals with his blood on our skin
I am yours, lady scrawled and thin
Will you tell me once again
You are girl, you are my friend
I seen you walkin' in your husband's way
Girl I will have you more
The sky, grey orange
And the walls stained blue
And I laid right down on golden satin with you
And the sweet dark circles of beautiful eyes
I go round
Oh, Lord, I go round
And round, and round
07 Harm's Way (03:22)
here ain't nothin' that ain't in my way
an like the fool i am for my own gain i pray
you say you found, a way back inside my closet
ol' bones upon bones an joints upon sockets
yep yey
i am an honest man when i ain't lying
i am a living man when i commence to dyin'
bring it down bring it down on me
put me on a high horse so everyone can see
then kick the nag an leave me be
swingin' from the tree
listen good people i'll tell you some truth
i got no reason to lie to you
i'm as clean as a hounds tooth
i still love the woman of my youth
the lord on my behalf doth pray
he's with me even in harm's way
09 Heel on the Shovel (03:12)
I'm diggin' you a shallow grave
And to the sun your face I'll raise
I'm diggin' you a shallow grave
One hundred buzzards a-buzzin'
I seen death hangin' from the tallest tree
Eyes closed no lookin' back at me
Yeah, they came and took him in the night
And the one who kissed em was greed
Oh, everyone will see us
And everyone will know
That, boy you reap what you sow
Oh, everyone will see us
And everyone will know
That, boy you reap what you sow
I'm diggin' you a shallow grave
And on your rotten bones I'll raise
Yellow daisies for my true love's hair
One hundred buzzards a-buzzin'
I seen death runnin' from his majesty
Oh, Lord where is the fear in me
In between your praying hands
You hold the skeleton key
Oh, everyone will see us
And everyone will know
That, boy you reap what you sow
Oh, everyone will see us
And everyone will know
That, boy you reap what you sow
10 American Wheeze (03:33)
I've grown tired, of the words of the single man
Hangin' lifeless on his every word - o man
You don't understand dear man
The little angel held out her hand
Sayin' father, father I love you
O praise jesus I got her
Ok yeah billygoat an we'll play farm
I didn't mean to spirit stiff you
Nor to doy you no harm
You say you've got a bone to pick
Well, there's plenty showin' on me
Come on up yeah bring your temper boy
We'll see, we'll see
Yeah you may be the only one come on son
Bring your blade and your gun
And if i die by your hand
I've gotta home in glory land
11 Red Neck Reel (02:43)
Everybody knows my business in this town
Lips are loose the whole way 'round
Where I go I leave a trail
Hell to heaven don't never fail
Hell to heaven don't never fail
Everybody knows my movement in this town
I chase my tail, yea I'm a fuckin' clown
But to you I dare not speak
My words to you would be worthless an weak
My words to you would be worthless an weak an all
But don't you take no pleasure
I ain't yet kicked the pail
I guess I see you boys later
I saw you see me when I'm down
An my guilty head you we're aimin'
See me in your eyes an I am dead
See me in your eyes an I am dead
But don't you take no pleasure
I ain't yet kicked the pail
14 Strong Man (04:21)
The strong man he will kneel down
Whalst angels strip him of cloak and crown
Through bitter lips come vile breath
He is the last one to confess
There will be no pity for him
We must kill him where he stands
No there will be no mercy for him
Nor for any of his klan
Let there be no hesitation
Get a rope an make it quick
Each last breath come from his mouth
I will beat it out with a stick
Pray boy you've no reservations
The word will be carried out
He is the one who brought down the son
Let there be no doubt
There is power wonder workin' power
In the blood of the lamb
There is power wonder workin' power
In the precious blood of the lamb
He's seated on the right hand
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Other reviews
By N.I.B.II.O
A haunting album in its beauty, starting with the country-punk rides of Black soul chair, Haw, and Black bush.
Music that you may or may not like, but that does not leave you indifferent.
