Selwyn Birchwood – Exorcist
Alligator Records – 2023
13 Tracks; 58 minutes
Florida native, Selwyn Birchwood, has a reputation for putting his unique spin on the blues, blending funk and jazz sounds into his melodies, (which are frequently more complex than is usually found in the genre). He is also known for clever and observant lyrics, which often reveal his dry sense of humor. It appears that he has lived up to all aspects of his reputation with his latest release, Exorcist, which is expertly produced by the highly sought-after Tom Hambridge. It opens with a catchy, rock-blues track entitled “Done Cryin’”, and the remaining tracks offer an interesting variety of rhythms and tempos. Birchwood surrounds himself with exceptional musicians, including Regi Oliver on saxophones, Donald “Huff” Wright on Bass guitar, Byron “Bizzy” Garner on drums, and Ed Krout on keyboards. The beautiful tone of Oliver’s saxophone can best be heard on the gospel-influenced track, “Lazarus”. Birchwood also has several guest artists perform on two songs, including Jim McKaba on piano and Andrew Gohman, (whose contribution with upright bass is outstanding). Birchwood strays slightly from his contemporary sound, as they offer an intriguing and slightly retro feel to the track entitled “Call Me What You Want To”.
Birchwood’s most recent observations about life are reflected lyrically on Exorcist, which contains all original songs. People have sometimes joked that “all the nuts must roll down to Florida,” and Birchwood illustrates that there may be some grain of truth to that overgeneralization by pointing out the bizarre headlines that have involved Floridians. “Florida Man” reminds us of the news stories that left us shaking our heads, noting, “Florida Man gets drunk and shoot guns at hurricanes. Florida man gets high on bath salts and eats your face. Florida Man reports a burglary to authorities ‘cause you stole his stash”. And he asks, “is there something in the water that makes them act that way?”
Even when he tackles a love song, Birchwood’s tongue-in-cheek lyrics can bring a smile. “I love you like the church loves money…like an albino loves the shade”. Additionally, the audience will likely strongly relate to his lyrics as he pokes fun at the negative self-talk that plague the majority of us in “My Own Worst Enemy”: “I got a voice inside that only serves to criticize…read myself the riot act…it’s like self-esteem is too much to ask.” And in “Hopeless Romantic” he laments that he never turns his back on love, but “I can’t seem to see that love has turned its back on me.” The one serious and uplifting song is an inspiring track entitled “Plenty More to be Grateful For”, which notes, “you might feel stressed…you might feel hopeless—downright depressed…you can’t ignore there’s more to be grateful for.”
These phenomenal lyrics are all delivered by Birchwood’s deep and soulful voice. And, although he may not have the widest range to his vocal ability, it seems a perfect match for expressing the emotions of these stories. There is no doubt that fans of unique and imaginative contemporary blues will want to add Exorcist to their collection.
