AMY ANNELLE: press

"Annelle and White have for years practiced a kind of musical and literal nomadism that makes their unearthing of spooky old folk tunes come out effortlessly heavy. Regardless of good-natured grins and pleasant stage banter, the songs bleed out of their breath like fire.

As the Centennial evening gets goose bump-chilly, Precious Blood moves through a combo-platter of "Can't Feel At Home In This World" and "Hell Broke Loose In Georgia." Annelle leads them through a great version of "Just A Bum," Hurley's classic salute to vagrancy. And though Hurley says that he's retired that tune for himself, he sure sports a big grin watching Annelle sing it.

A Cajun dance song called "Little Dark Eyes" comes next, and White switches from fiddle to shiny green accordion. Annelle suggests, "If you've been eyeing a cutie from across the meadow, now would be the time to ask them to dance." A kind of old-world waltz ensues...a fantastically doomed cover of The Kinks' "Alcohol" follows. I am momentarily convinced that an evil sprit is hiding in my sixth beer of the day...Annelle and White close out the show with The Meat Puppets' "Lost" and an accordion-spiced rendition of bluegrass favorite, "Shady Grove".

Ralph White and Amy Annelle's old-time psychic-twin vision comes alive on Top of the Holler, the pair's new collection of field recordings as Precious Blood. Annelle's guitar and hay-fine gospel voice alone are capable of evangelical Dust Bowl flashbacks, but when combined with White's solitary fiddle and accordion, "Shady Grove" sounds rapturous, as do covers of the Carter Family's "Can't Feel at Home" and Leadbelly's "Western Cowboy."