We are hardly tired of listening to David Eugene Edwards' Woven Hand outing and here again is the new Sixteen Horsepower album, Folklore. In a certain sense this album cannot be looked upon as the successor to the successful Secret South album, because the band only furnishes four of the ten tracks themselves. Of the remaining six, four are - mindful of the title - traditionals and two are old country songs, by the Carter Family (Single Girl) and Hank Williams (Alone And Forsaken).

Qua style as well, Folklore produces a different, predominantly acoustic sound. The agitated intensity of previous works has been traded in for a stifling subdued sound which makes you think of Nick Cave's quieter works, though Edwards sounds just as possessed. On account of its modest character Folklore makes less of an impression than previous albums, for not until the end, when the level of intensity is forced up with Sinnerman and notably Flutter, do they attain the familiar Sixteen Horsepower mark.

3 stars (out of 5)