The music of Reverend Glassey and his Wooden Legs is rich in the imagery of an America long gone or maybe that never existed, a place called Black River Falls, a place inhabited by itinerant preachers, snake handlers, medicine show and confidence men. The music can be best described as avant-garde American folk rock, an amalgamation of American, Russian/Jewish folk, dark country, psycho blue grass and gospel tent revival with a trashy garage band production. Often coming off sounding highly reminiscent of Tom Waits (though the Reverend (Adam Beckley) will need to smoke a hell of a lot more cigarettes to perfect the Waits growl) or the evil gypsy music of Portland’s the Dolomites. Best songs and most accessible are “Carnival of Pills”, “Penitentiary Highball” and “Paddywagon Turban”. Defiantly not an easy CD to get into but give it a chance it’s a real winner.

December 2001