Appalachian Death Ride

Forget Nick Cave, Appalachian Death Ride have planted a few bad seeds of their own. Hobo's Codebook, their second album in ten years, leaves the nu-punk to the kids and explores the darkened corners of the marriage between Americana folk and impassioned rock. Appalachian Death Ride is like Joe Strummer fronting a wagon train. They have a penchant for gypsy waltzes ("Wedding Coat") with accordion, fiddle and banjo, but aren't above hitting you between the eyes with a few slicing power chords. There's the ballad "Sylvia," the punky "Comin' Around" and the "Desolation Row" update "Nite Lite Alley," all intoned by singer Chris Biester's hoarse pronouncements.