Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow

Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow is the second studio album by American band Down, released on March 26, 2002. The subtitle "A Bustle in Your Hedgerow" is borrowed from the lyrics of "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin.

Background
Down II was the band's first album in seven years since the release of NOLA, the longest gap between their three studio albums to date. Being a supergroup, the band went on hiatus in 1996 so that members could focus on their main bands (namely Eyehategod, Corrosion of Conformity, Crowbar, and Pantera). Down reformed in 1999 with Pantera bassist Rex Brown replacing Todd Strange. The band wanted the album to have a "bluesy" feel, so they moved into Phil Anselmo's barn, dubbed "Nodferatu's Lair", in Southern Louisiana where they lived and recorded the album in 28 days without anyone leaving the house.

Also in 2002 the band recorded an acoustic version of "Stone the Crow" that was never officially released although it can be heard on YouTube.

Critical reception
Down II was not received as well as the band's debut release, NOLA. Blabbermouth reviewer Borivoj Krgin stated, "Down II appears to have been thrown together more haphazardly, with much of the material falling short of the standard set by Down's classic debut offering." However, UK critics were more enthusiastic, with Metal Hammer awarding the album 8/10 and Rock Sound declaring it "a storming experience from the depths" and rating it at 4/5. Despite its poor US reviews, the album debuted at number 44 on the Billboard 200.

Personnel

 * Down
 * Phil Anselmo – vocals, guitar on "Landing on the Mountains of Meggido"
 * Pepper Keenan – guitar
 * Kirk Windstein – guitar
 * Rex Brown – bass
 * Jimmy Bower – drums, all instruments on "Doobinterlude"


 * Additional musicians
 * Stephanie Opal Weinstein – backing vocals on "Landing on the Mountains of Meggido"

Tour
To support the album, Down toured on the second stage of Ozzfest in 2002. They also scheduled an 18-date tour that began May 1 in New York and ended on May 25 in Dallas. Afterward, the band once again entered an indefinite hiatus to focus on their respective bands.