This time the mad gothic cowboys from Denver time-travel to their origins. When record label Glitterhouse compiled the very first demos they ended up with 20 songs. Still with Kevin Soll instead of Pascal Humbert behind the monstrous double bass, the tracks of the fist demo from 1993 sound characteristic swampy and partly undifferentiated. But the energy that Dave Edwards, Kevin Soll and Jean-Yves Tola already splashed in those days beggared description even ten years ago (or translated literally from German: it did not fit an a cowhide).

It's the wild mix of Indian Jew's harp, maltreated country and the hectic bandoneon, that leads every listener into despair and that makes the opening song “American Wheeze” something very special. Nothing expresses that better then the interview snippet with A&M A&R-man Jeff Suhy, who is audibly agape that “this man is sitting on a stool channelling sprits through this bandoneon that he plays.” Jeff Suhy was lucky he could sign 16 Horsepower already after the first song that he heard.

Remarkable is also the difference between the songs from the Night Owl session and the recordings from the Kerry Macy session, the second sojourn in a studio. The sound is better, the production is clearer because every instrument is in the "right place”.

Six live songs form the closing of this retrospective view of the fist years. Unfortunately there are no reactions from fans to be heard. But the bandoneon track #16 “Low Estate” is simply unbeatable in this live version. In track #19 “Sac of Religion”, The Horsepowers with Edwards' defiant guitar almost sound punky. Simply forget the "alternative country" marketing stamp. 16 Horsepower is simply three cowboys with a bang, whose leader knows his Lord.