Hoarse
16 Horsepower
by Chad Beck

Sometimes life hands out a pretty bitter cup, and we all have to drink our share. Everyday trials and tribulations often lacerate to the bone when grasped, a reminder that the illusory bed of roses is prickly indeed. One can smile and retreat into a countless number of temporary distractions, but what about life’s big questions? Why does something exist rather than nothing? What is the purpose of suffering? Who am I? How does one tell the truth from a lie?

Many artists acknowledge the dark underbelly of humanity, but few approach it as vocally (or sincerely) as 16 Horsepower. Countless masses have avoided the aforementioned “tough” questions, but David Eugene Edwards, 16 Horsepower’s tormented leader, can’t shake them. Fueled by spiritual introspection bordering on madness and Civil War-era musical sensibilities, 16 Horsepower strike a sound somewhere between a death-march dirge and a backwoods barn dance. Hoarse, culled from live performances in Denver and Paris, is 16 Horsepower getting face to face with their fans, squeezing out every bit of passion and dread along the way.

Hoarse celebrates all of 16 Horsepower’s quirks without remorse, for better or worse. Here you’ll find dire banjo-picking, droning violins, howling concertinas and pounding bass and drums. Though the band receives inspiration from hymnals and nihilistic philosophy, their sound is rarely gentle (or comforting). “For Heaven’s Sake” shakes the rafters with a shuffling rhythm and distorted slide guitar. Likewise, “Brimstone Rock” gets the foundation rumbling after a stripped-down opening from Edwards and his banjo. A hard act to define, 16 Horsepower are unique in their torch and twang. They flesh out a bastardized version of Southern country-goth rock completely unfamiliar to pop charts and Soundscan. While the instrumentation should have no problem grabbing the listener’s attention, it is ultimately Edward’s tortured voice that carries 16 Horsepower. Once described as a cross between Bono and John Fogerty, Edward’s desperate croon carries an air of sincerity and passion most singers would die to have.

Although most of Hoarse is charming in a haunted way, some of it is is simply frightening. One could only imagine what possessed Edwards and Co. to include three poorly-translated covers on this disc. Maybe these sounded great in a drunken barroom setting, but CCR’s classic “Bad Moon Rising” loses its original luster in 16HP’s melancholic version. Playing one of Fogerty’s classics may have seemed like a terrific idea in rehearsals, but here it is lifeless and dull. “Fire Spirit” (Gun Club anyone?) also sounds flat and pointless next to the band’s powerful originals. Adding insult to injury, “Day of the Lords” by Joy Division finishes 16HP’s set with such mid-tempo nonchalance, you’ll have to pinch yourself awake for the encore. Regardless of these wishy-washy covers, Hoarse is an accurate depiction of this gripping live band and is a “must-have” for any fan. The uninitiated would do wise to pick up one of their fantastic studio albums, then go check them out live.