As the opening notes of Sixteen Horsepower's Folklore fall upon the ears, it becomes apparent that this will not be a lighthearted listen. Frontman David Eugene Edwards was definitely impacted by the somber hymns he heard while traveling with his grandfather, a Nazarene minister, to preach the good Word. The same fire-and-brimstone urgency that was no doubt delivered from the pulpit by Edwards' grandfather is just as evident in the younger man’s voice, at times recalling images of a somber Jim Morrison. Edwards and company bring an earnest fusion of Appalachian gospel, lamenting country & western, dirty bluegrass and classic folk that lace the psalmist’s boding lyrics with acoustic guitars, banjo, organ, accordion, double bass, bandoneon and softly brushed drumbeats. Tracks such as "Beyond The Pale" and "Sinnerman" show off the band’s dark, brooding side with beautiful instrumentation, while "Single Girl" and "La Robe A Parasol" are more lighthearted, as they seem to celebrate their salvation. Amen.