The Rev. Freakchild — “Blues & Spirituals” / “Hymn Hustler” — Treated And Released Records
The spiritual and musical enigma that is the Rev. Freakchild continues to live among us, despite two self-penned “obituaries” written as album liner notes that tried without success to unplug the good Reverend.
Most recently he proclaimed his demise on his 2025 release, A Bluesman of Sorts. Indeed, his website proclaims one of his alternate realities as “The Artist formerly known as Reverend Freakchild.”
However, the Rev has chosen to reincarnate, bringing with him the first two albums of his recording career, remastered, digitized and humanized as a double album. Blues & Spirituals from 2001 and Hymn Hustler from 2003 combine to display two sides of Freakchild’s early musical personas. The results, he says, “will soothe your sorrows, and his country blues and soul-folk grooves will heal your hurting.” No word, though, about the hole in your soul.
On Blues & Spirituals, he offers an acoustic set with just guitar and harmonica, a troubadour blending traditional songs with his own soulful creations. The liner notes are not as traditional, quoting from Søren Kierkegaard, known as the first existentialist philosopher.
The first track is the traditional Jesus On the Mainline, an eloquent blues-gospel song, beautifully picked and sung. Lose these Blues is a gently swung original: “I feel like a lost feather off an angel’s wing / so Lord, won’t you please, help me, lose these blues.” Mo’ Betta Blues dips into Greek mythology for a modern ode to love: “Gonna let the love open the door, gonna make it mo’ betta, gotta make the blues mo’ betta.” Blues for No One is a swinging jazz instrumental, followed by a gorgeous rendition of another traditional gospel song, True Religion.
The Rev gives equally reverential treatment to Billie Holiday’s classic God Bless the Child. The original Rollin’ On is filled with folk overtones and harp filigrees around its contemplative thoughts: “Now you try to let it go, that love that is no longer, / No comfort, only reassurance, at the absence of God.” Cheeba-Cheeba is a whimsical sampling of lyrics from Schooly D, Bo Diddley, Bob Dylan and the 23rd Psalm – and somehow makes perfect sense. Yer Blues is a slightly softer musical version of the John Lennon track from The Beatles White Album, while keeping its dark theme: “Yes I’m lonely, want to die.” Willin’ is a lovely take on a gentle folk song from Lowell George.
The Hymn Hustler tracks reveal a tougher side to the Rev’s music, with a little help from his friends. There’s some evil slide guitar, traditional blues, more mature original writing and trippy psychedelia sounds from the windmills of the Rev’s mind.
It begins with the starkly beautiful Delta blues classic, Rollin’ and Tumblin, now traditional, but first recorded by Hambone Willie Newbern in 1929. The Rev fires up a wicked slide for his fiery version. He continues with In My Time of Dying, a traditional gospel song. The very original Supersubconscious Mind follows, a deeply introspective journey: “Just wading in the waters, of my Supersubconcious smoked mind / Careful not to disturb the universe, or let the devils waste my time.” Strange Magic is another inner mystery tour with psychedelic leanings: “Now you’re probably mellowing down easy / but it seems I’m still haunted by that strange magic.” Hawaiian Cowboy Lost in NYC is a unique original that pulls together the unlikely pairing of a gorgeous lap steel and traffic noise that all plays out its title. Search My Heart is an expertly picked and fiercely sung cover of this Rev. Gary Davis gospel song.
A Day Late and $ Short is an upbeat shuffle to every bluesman’s lament: “Well, I went down to the doctor, they said I was a day late / So, I went to get a drink, but the cash wouldn’t resonate.” WW3 Blues is another montage filled with mysterious voices, persistent percussion and lyrics from Dylan, Peter Tosh and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Don’t Miss Nothing is a bluesy folk original with stunning guitar behind lyrics that speak of a blood red moon and boiling seas but evolve to an earthier blues complaint: “Ya don’t miss your water ‘til the well runs dry, Ya I say, don’t miss nothing ‘til it’s gone. / Missed my baby, miss her all night long.” The closer is Memento Mori, a Latin phrase meaning “remember you must die,” a polyglot of sounds and snippets that conclude the album in a style best described as pure Freakchild.
The good Reverend’s spiritual side stems from his Buddhist beliefs. But for all of his other-worldliness, he’s a righteous singer, songwriter and guitarist. With Blues & Spirituals and Hymn Hustler, you can hear Rev explore his mind and expand your own. It seems as though the Freakchild may actually live long and prosper!
Here’s the Rev’s version of “Yer Blues”:
Tracklists:
Blues & Spirituals
01-Jesus on the Mainline
02-Lose these Blues
03-Mo’ Better Blues
04-Blues for No One
05-Pure Religion
06-God Bless the Child
07-Rollin’ On
08-Cheeba-Cheeba
09-Yer Blues
10-Willin’
All Songs written by the Rev. Freakchild except: Jesus on the Mainline & Pure Religion → (Traditional) / God Bless the Child (Holiday/Herzog) / Cheeba-Cheeba contains lyric content by (Schooly D, Bo Diddley, Robert Zimmerman and the 23rd Psalm) / Yer Blues (Lennon/McCartney) / Willin’ (L. George)
Hymn Hustler
11-Rollin’ and Tumblin’
12-In My Time of Dying
13-Supersubconscious Mind
14-Strange Magic
15-Hawaiian Cowboy Lost in NYC
16-Search My Heart
17-A Day Late and $ Short
18-World War 3 Blues
19-Don’t Miss Nothin’
20-Memento Mori
All Songs Written by the Reverend Freakchild except: Rollin’ and Tumblin’ → In my Time of Dying (Traditional) Search My Heart (Rev. Gary Davis) / WW3 Blues contains lyric content by (Robert Zimmerman, Peter Tosh and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.)