REVEREND FREAKCHILD
HILLBILLY ZEN-PUNK BLUES
TREATED AND RELEASED RECORDS TR 006
ALL I GOT IS NOW–ANGEL$ OF MERCY–IT’S GONNA BE ALRIGHT–KEEP ON TRUCKING–LULLABY–MOONLIGHT MESSAGES–SHE WANTS MY NAME–SOUL TRANSFORMING REALIZATION–TEARS OF FIRE–WISH I WAS IN HEAVEN SITTING DOWN
Whether Reverend Freakchild is ordained or not, he has a firm grasp on vintage pre-war blues masters mixed with today’s contemporary sounds. His latest set, “Hillbilly Zen-Punk Blues,” is ten cuts of traditional-sounding blues mixed with a touch of jam-band sensibility and the Reverend’s philosophical looks at life.
Reverend Freakchild is on vocals and guitars, with Hugh Pool on harp and lap steel, and Chris Parker on drums. His life mantra is chronicled in the leadoff cut, which offers sage advice over a Zen-like, trippy guitar, where we realize we should yield to the present, because “yesterday is history, and tomorrow is a mystery, and All I Got Is Now.”
The Reverend covers another famous Reverend, Gary Davis, with “It’s Gonna Be Alright,” the gospel backing chorus courtesy of Hugh Pool and John Ragusa (appearing as Mulebone). They add more vocals on “Keep On Trucking,” as the Reverend gives a shout-out to the Dead with his mention of “the doo-dah man!”
There are three cool instrumentals herein, also. There’s the harp-driven “Angel$ Of Mercy,” the ethereal “Lullaby,” and a stone-country-blues-meets-the-Allmans jam, “Soul Transforming Revitalization.” The set closes with our favorite, as the Reverend gets in a North Mississippi Hill Country mood with a spooky, slide-fueled “I Wish I Was In Heaven Sitting Down.”
The Reverend Freakchild takers listeners on a fine trip down to the Delta, infused with terrific gospel overtones done with a jam-band soul. Getcha some “Hillbilly Zen-Punk Blues” today! Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow.
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