Head Home sounds like some wild-eyed Appalachian hillbillies borrowed Tom Waits' junkyard orchestra and headed to the Balkans, headbanging to electric bluegrass and sizzling punk country, and whirling as hard as the Pogues at their glorious best.

This is about sound - the songs that form the core of the album seem a perfect base from which to go nuts - and energy that sounds chemically, or moonshine alcoholically, enhanced. More aggressive than Beirut and more country than Gogol Bordello, O'Death have had a 'next big thing' tag that has seen this album re-released to build on the reaction to their live shows.

The New York five-piece has a raw sound like Two Gallants, but builds with almost religious fervour to climaxes on almost every song - banjos and guitars electrified and rocking evangelistically. Head Home is infectiously great, a backwoods barbecue feast of sound.
4/5

Mike Rea