Black Twig Pickers and Charlie Parr: Where You Gonna Be (When the Good Lord Calls You Home)?

This is a limited single to accompany the joint UK tour by these American country blues artists, who play a mix of original and traditional songs. Minnesota native Parr’s website explains that “Charlie Parr has failed in most things in life” but ‘Where You Gonna Be…’ is a great success; it sounds like an old gospel title but is a Parr original, propelled by the outstanding sound of his resonator guitar. B-side ‘Stepback Cindy’ is very moreish traditional Appalachian dance music from the Black Twig Pickers, Mike Gangloff’s fiddle setting you looking for a partner to do-si-do with as soon as it starts wailing. The playing is amazing, a window into another world.

-- Ged M., Sounds XP