DESCRIPTION:
Nathan Bowles is a musician & teacher living in the mountains of southwestern Virginia. He and his bandmates in the Black Twig Pickers steep themselves in local traditions of Appalachian folk music and dance. In his other projects, including Pelt & Pigeons, he focuses on the various sonic possibilities inherent in struck and bowed percussion -- metal, wood, skin, or otherwise. When playing by his lonesome, he prefers either minimal & hyper-nuanced percussive drone or tranced-out solo clawhammer banjo. He would love to do both at once, but has yet to find the dexterity needed with only the limbs he was given.2012 has been a busy year -- besides a frantic local and not-so-local performance schedule with the Black Twigs, he's also been busy being a part of some exciting releases & collaborations. The Black Twigs released a record store day 7" for Thrill Jockey, with a 12" 45 and full length LP to be released on the same label this summer and early next year, respectively. Their collaborative recording with guitarist Steve Gunn was the inaugural release of Black Dirt Studio's digital 'Natch' series, available free online to stream or download. Blackest Rainbow Recordings released his collaborative percussion record with Lisa Cameron under the name 'Undercarriage,' while a second percussion collabo with Scott Verrastro is in the can and pending release. In advance of Pelt's performance at the 2012 Tusk Festival in Newcastle, England, M.I.E. Music will be releasing 'Effigy,' Pelt's first double LP since 1999's 'Empty Bell Ringing in the Sky.'

Track listing:

1 Charlie's Pontoon 3:25
2 Cindy 2:30
3 Alabama Gals 3:21
4 Lick Mountain Ramble 2:29
5 Come Back Boys, Let's Feed The Horses 3:08
6 Beans 5:54*****
7 Ship In The Clouds 3:12
8 Snaps 5:48
9 Craig Street Hop 2:45
10 Uttarama 7:01
11 Elk River Blues 3:18

All pieces performed live by Nathan Bowles on b.b. 101, a 5-string open-backed banjo built by Greg Galbreath at Buckeye Banjos.

Engineered and recorded by Jason Meagher at Black Dirt Studio on the evening of December 2nd, 2011.
Mixed by Jason Meagher January 2012.
Mastered by Patrick Klem April 2012.

Tracks 1, 6, 8, 9, 10 by Nathan Bowles.
Track 4 by Jack Rose (c) Chumpie Jawn Music.
Track 11 by Ernie Carpenter.
Tracks 2, 3, 5, 6 traditional.

Country:US
Released:06 Nov 2012
Label: Soft Abuse