Black Twig Pickers: Hobo Handshake

Fronted by Mike Gangloff, long-serving member of backwoods drone outfit Pelt, Black Twing Pickers play traditional songs that sit at the bridging point between country, blues and folk. Their readings of tunes like "Never Miss Your Mama" or "Old Joe Bone" are respectful without feeling hidebound by tradition, and the rangy scrawl of Gangloff's fiddle, scratching over stringy banjo melodies and rudimentary, totally monomaniacal percussion reminds of Peter Stampfel's Holy Modal Rounders. Another beautiful set of American Primitive, '00 style.

-- Jon Dale

Uncut Magazine