Search - 16 Horsepower :: Low Estate

Buy this or go to Hell

Aggie Angst | Deep Dark South | 07/21/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"How else do you intro a Christian Rock band? :)A friend of mine introduced me to 16 Horsepower. I was doubtful because I'm not Christian and I couldn't imagine myself buying a CD by a professed Christian Rock band, now I'm a dyed in the wool fan. Many times the lyrics blur the lines between religion and sex and sometimes it's hard to tell if Edwards is singing about Jesus or his girlfriend. Usually it's both. The songs will probably not point you to a cloud where you sit with a harp, more likely they will land you square on the earth and into a stomp dance. There is also some profanity, so those of delicate sensibilities had best leave this band off.The music is some of the best I've heard lately. If you've never heard a rock and roll banjo, grab this quick. It's some of the meanest banjo playing I've ever heard. One song will sound like blue grass, then the next track is pure rock. The band is drum tight and really good at what they do. Their sound is the most original going at this writing. I can't recommend them highly enough. On the downside, I can't help but wish Jesus didn't figure quite so highly in their words, but then I guess they wouldn't be who they are. If you've got the cash, get all three CD's. It's worth it."

Appalachia calling me home.....

jgrizzard | Texas | 12/17/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"First heard them through a recommendation email from Amazon. Decided to buy Low Estate, and I'm glad I did. Some of the best pure, spiritual music happening today. The origin of the spirits, though,sound to be perhaps a little south of heaven. Listening to these guys makes me feel like I'm in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee. I can close my eyes and visual a revival tent replenish with whiskey, young nubile girls who tremble in fear. A few trembling adults too. The music, ah... the music. Great to hear banjo's, fiddles and other backwood instruments blended with a kickin' drum,bass & guitar set. And that voice too. Man he sounds downright scary. Sounds like he knows things that some people just weren't meant to know."

An Anachronistic Christian Joy Division

Aggie Angst | 03/07/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Denver's 16 Horsepower have everything that the current irony ladened 90s pop bands lack - conviction, passion, and some damn fine rocking tunes. Singer/Lyricist David Eugene Edwards creates a world of extremely nasty spiritualism with a fire & brimstone passion that makes an agnostic like myself envious of the faithful. Their instrumentation is deliciously anachronistic, employing concertinas, a hurdy-gurdy and some fine banjo playing along with the more traditional guitar-bass-drums line up, with some excellent organ-playing by producer/P.J. Harvey associate John Parish. That they are as of mid-February without a record label is an atrocity. However, a band with this level of raw talent and power will not be silenced by the verities of the business world. Side Note: I saw them opening for Nick Cave here in L.A., and their performance nearly matched old Saint Nick's intenisty and sheer overwhelming power. Nearly."