Inspired by her love of Appalachia, Julia Wolfe based her text for Steel Hammer on over 200 versions of the 'John Henry' ballad. Steel Hammer features the alternately haunting and playful vocalizations of Norway's renowned Trio Mediaeval, and stretches the standard instrumentation of the Bang on a Can All-Stars with wooden bones, mountain dulcimer, banjo, clapping, clogging and more.
'...a musical archaeology of a familiar tale - one that preserves, even enlarges, its central mystery.' - Alex Ross