Jack Rose and The Black Twigs

this raw and rocking collaboration between jack rose and the black twigs 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. his use of a thumbpick originates from years of duets with twig mike gangloff, struggling to make his guitar heard over gangloffs crashing banjo. the front line of rose and gangloffs strings are joined by isak howells 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. a few of the tracks here are updates of rose and family classics, with the group turning the stately 'kensington blues' upbeat and issuing an assured take on 'bright sunny south', first recorded by pelt (with rose and gangloff) back in 2001 on their gonzo classic double-disc ayahuasca.