Last year Sixteen Horsepower played the Cactus and Pukkelpop festivals, after that they did an indoor concert in Ghent, early this summer they were present at the Torhout/Werchter festival, and now the band around David Eugene Edwards again appeared at Pukkelpop.

Too much of a good thing? No, because Sixteen Horsepower is like good chocolate: even when you eat far more than your fill until your tummy aches, you still want more. Above all that, the new John Parish (see PJ Harvey) produced CD Low Estate should be in the shops today.

The American quartet presented a number of songs from that album, the highlights being "My Narrow Mind" and a quiet "Brimstone Rock". As usual, Sixteen Horsepower brought a highly personal mixture of country, bluegrass, rock(abilly), God and the devil. Edwards, who switched between banjo, bandoneon and slide-guitar, looked somewhat like a preacher. A man in black, driven by an irresistible urge to inform humanity, to warn them of an approaching disaster.

The band, which played tighter than at Torhout/Werchter, took you by the scruff of your neck from the outset, and didn't let go of you for three quarters of an hour. Then the Lord and the devil were allowed to take a shower.


from Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, 25 August 1997:

Over to 16 Horsepower. In one year they were promoted to the premier league. Only last year they played in the Marquee (sic) as an unknown band, now they played the main stage, with a lot of fans in the first rows. It is a pity though that their trick has remained the same. A singer, immovable on a stool, who is alternately handed a guitar, banjo or bandoneon. Next to him a double bass, from time to time operated on with a bow. That "Gone With The Wind" atmosphere. Those dragging and pushing songs. Here and there a "wow" moment, but a concert that had just not quite enough of a framework to be arresting. The most succinct leader too: "thank you for clapping" at the beginning and "thank you for coming to watch us play" at the end.

No, we prefer Stephen Malkmus of Pavement, he had at least learned to say "thank you" like a good boy. Their recipe is as well known as 16 Horsepower's, only in their case it remains exciting: will it work, or won't it.