Much of what would be come American blues/country/folk is descended from British Isles traditional music. As such it isn't surprising that the occasional British musician should come along and fall in love with our roots music. But you can rest assured that nobody is going to do it like freak music legend Danbert Nobacon*.
Nobacon's old crew (Chumbawamba) were as fearless in exploring musical genres as they were in stirring up shit storms, so it comes as no surprise that Nobacon takes to incendiary folk like a knife wielding duck to water.
Danbert's voice is all cracks, rasps and growls, all rage, humor and sarcasm. The man has no fear of getting in your face. This is a screwed up world we live in and "Woebegone" is the sideshow mirror Nobacon holds up to reflect it back at us. Since this is some kind of concept album Danbert resembles a left-leaning golden-age Alice Cooper mixed with Hank Williams via the Jello Biafra school of vocalization, like some fire & brimstone preacher calling for another round of shots at last call.
The mirror is made of identifiable elements of old timey American music: shadows of country, hints of blues and subverted/inverted folk allow Danbert Nobacon and "Woebegone" to come across like the Ghost of Americana-Yet-To-Come. These song aren't just a subversion of folk they're an inversion of roots music. The number's on this CD aren't going to give you comfort after you've been knocked down by the Man they're intended to help you get a few good swipes in before they slap on the cuffs and take away your rights.
Nobacon finds excellent partners-in-crime and musical foils in The Bad Things. This group clearly knows their way around country stumps, blues slumps and folk motifs but have just as much fire as Danbert for taking those elements and twisting them back from plowshares into swords.
