It’s time for the faithful to gather around as The Reverend Freakchild is back in the pulpit. Road Dog Dharma is his new album and it continues his approach of combining the blues with bits of country and psychedelic music. It all adds up to an idiosyncratic but ultimately interesting album.

Road Dog Dharma chronicles Reverend Freakchild’s personal journey throughout the United States. Twelve of the 26 tracks are snippets of conversation and interviews, which are interspersed among the music tracks. They provide a connection from track to track and help the cohesion of the album.

Musically, he covers a lot of territory, but it all makes sense within the context of his theme. “Roadtrance” Live In Concert,” the solo acoustic “Dial Me In,” “Hippie Bluesman Blues,” “Keep On Trucking,” and “The Fish Line” are all looks into his imagination and mind.

Even the cover material fit the theme well. Townes Van Zandt’s “White Freightliner Blues,” J.J. Cale’s “Call Me The Breeze,” and ZZ Top’s “Jesus Just Left Chicago” are all performed with a blues foundation, which contribute to the overall experience of the album.

This is his most cohesive, and in many ways, his most mainstream release. His quirky and psychedelic approach is still intact but is more under control than in the past. Much of his approach, however, is still raw and his instrumental backing is sparse in places.

Reverend Freakchild is an acquired taste and his music is somewhat outside the norm. If you want to explore his music, Road Dog Dharma is a good place to start as it is his most refined and well-thought out album. Still, his brand of blues is not for the fainthearted.

Rating: B

User Rating: Not Yet Rated

Comments