Release: REVEREND FREAKCHILD - SUPRAMUNDANE

REVEREND FREAKCHILD - SUPRAMUNDANE BLUES (ALBUM)
CONTEMPORARY BLUES
LABEL:TREATED & RELEASED RECORDS
RELEASE DATE: MARCH 26, 2021

DISTRIBUTION: AMAZON, ITUNES & ARTIST WEBSITE

"Many of you will know “Personal Jesus” from the wheezy Johnny Cash version; but I have danced to the original Depeche Mode single many, many times back in the day and who knew someone could turn both those versions inside out and make it into a sleazy blues song that even I can still dance to? Probably only Reverend Freakchild and it ticks every box I have for a great radio hit.”

For over 20 years Reverend Freakchild has been directing his musical ministry to the legions of fans, who have followed the Grateful Dead and all its offspring with music that is inspired by the jam band forefathers and its members. Upon finding the world in our present crisis, the Reverend decided to cast his net wider and minister to a larger flock of blues and roots seekers. His latest release , Supramundane Blues, is a collection of 13 gospel favorites and songs inspired by faith and the quest for divine enlightenment that runs the gamut of styles from Delta Blues to funk, soul, modern jam band, rock, and Americana, plus a bonus disc, Psychedelic Trip Hop Mass.

The Reverend once again invited several like-minded souls to join him on his mission of spreading the word of peace, love and redemption, including guitarists Kevin Griffin (The Rev’s meditation teacher) and Mark Karan (Rat dog), keyboardist Steve Sirockin, Malcolm “The Minister of Bass” Oliver, drummer Chris Parker (Aretha Franklin, Donald Fagen, Quincy Jones, Brecker Brothers), percussionist Jason Hann (String Cheese Incident), producer and multi-instrumentalist Hugh Pool, and Grammy-nominated vocalist and harmonicist, The Reverend Shawn Amos.

The opening solo acoustic number, “Preaching The Blues,” harkens back to the years Reverend Freakchild spent singing blues and spirituals on Sundays at NYC hippie hang out, Tobacco Road. He sends out a call to worship with “Crying Holy,” giving the Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys’ staple an electric update. The gutbucket blues reinvention of MTV dance hit “Personal Jesus,” is brilliant in its greasy simplicity and will no doubt be a radio favorite, gathering new members to the Reverend’s congregation. The creativity continues with a rousing jam-band version of Blind Lemon Jefferson’s 1928 Texas Blues classic, “See That My Grave Is Kept Clean,“ that includes lap steel playing from the late Drew Glackin. The transformation of the Albert King slow blues standard, ”Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven,“ from 1971 into a pastoral acoustic driven folk ballad is visionary.

Blind Willie Johnson was a bluesman and a preacher whose lyrics were spiritual and his recordings from the 1930s influenced generations of songwriters, including The Rev, who delivers a swinging version of ”Soul Of A Man?” adding a few new irreverent verses. Kevin Griffin joins him on the spoken word piece in “Factors Of Awakening.” The Rev then presents “Jesus Just Left Chicago!“ as an offertory prayer, rearranging the 12-bar blues penned by Billy Gibbons into a spacious and contemplative acoustic devotional. Mark Karan takes over lead guitar duties on a traditional hymn “Good Shepherd,” staying faithful to the 1969 Jefferson Airplane psychedelic folk-rock version. The Southern gospel standard “Working On A Building,“ has been recorded many times by a diverse array of artists from The Carter Family to Elvis, B.B. King and John Fogerty, hear The Rev and his crew give the song a full Jam Band Funk treatment surely drawing on inspiration from the late great Colonel Bruce Hampton while featuring tasty piano from Sirockin.
The Soul Rock groover, “Keep On Praying,” proves to be a fine vehicle for a collaboration with fellow brother of faith The Reverend Shawn Amos, who lends his vocals and gritty harmonica to a witty and sardonic track that could’ve come from the Lou Reed catalogue. Reverend Freakchild calls upon the words of his hero the late Reverend Gary Davis and his song “It’s Gonna Be Alright!” gathering the faithful together for the joyous benediction. “Seven Billion Light Years” melds statements and music into a universal spiritual potpourri.

When asked, what do you mean by preaching the blues, Reverend Freakchild responded “there were many early blues musicians, like Reverend Gary Davis and Son House, who were either preachers, who became bluesmen or bluesman, who became preachers. For them there wasn’t much of a line between Saturday night and Sunday morning. That’s what my music draws on.” This expansive collection, Supramundane Blues, gives testimony to that influence to be a balm for the soul.

BIOGRAPHY In the tradition of such Holy Blues Reverends as Reverend Gary Davis - such is the irreverent Reverend Freakchild. The Rev. primarily performs solo acoustic these days, and sometimes as a duo with the Minister of Bass. The Rev. has also recorded with some amazing musicians: Melvin Seals, Mark Karan, Chris Parker, Hugh Pool, Jay Collins, and G. Love. He has played in many bands touring internationally. The Rev. spent 3 years off-off-off Broadway singing blues and spirituals on Sundays at Tobacco Road, the now defunct NYC hippie hangout replete with drug addicts, hookers, and music freaks. The Rev. has also served as a member and featured soloist of the Metro Mass Gospel Choir performing at such venues as Carnegie Hall, Avery Fischer Hall and the Town Hall Theater. The Rev's music has been featured in many TV programs and commercials, and national radio advertising campaigns. He grew up in Hawaii, holds a degree in philosophy and religion from Northeastern University in Boston and now currently resides in Colorado pursuing a Master of Divinity Degree at Naropa University. He continues to perform and preach proclaiming, "Music is my religion. Through song I seek transcendence!"

WEBLINKS OS: www.treatedandreleasedrecords.com