Selwyn Birchwood Living in a Burning House

Selwyn Birchwood
Living in a Burning House
Alligator Records

It is a pleasure to have a new recording by Selwyn Birchwood to warm the winter blues away with the new year. The tall, lanky Birchwood has expanded his band, adding the keyboards of Walter "Bunt" May to his band. The rest of the band consists of baritone saxophonist Regi Olivier (who also plays alto and tenor saxophones and piccolo flute on this recording), bassist Donald "Huff" Wright, and drummer Philip "Squeak" Walker. Tom Hambridge produced this album and contributed backing vocals and percussion to some tracks. One selection is a duet with Diunna Greenleaf.

There is plenty of blues with a bit of rock energy. Hambridge's production gives this a hard-hitting feel opening with the opening "I'd Climb Mountains." There is plenty of his warm, grainy, expressive baritone and searing guitar. The songs range from this fiery number to the soulful loping ballad, "She's a Dime." Olivier's baritone helps lay down a deep bass groove on "I Got Drunk, Laid And Stoned." This song also showcases Birchwood's sizzling lap steel guitar.

One of the top originals, "Living in a Burning House," has Birchwood's dealing with a hellacious relationship with his passionate singing and fiery guitar along with Olivier's raspy, raucous sax solo. Then there is the rocking shuffle of "You Can't Steal My Shine," with a rollicking guitar break. May's organ is prominent in the backing on this. Then there is the duet with Diunna Greenleaf, "Mama Knows Best," about trying to get his mama's blessing about his girl, but Diunna sings that she won't cook or clean, and listen to your mama that this girl will be the death of Selwyn. Birchwood's guitar dances in and around Olivier's riffs and fills. I would expect this track gets much airplay.

One last track to highlight is another rocking shuffle, "Through A Microphone," where Birchwood celebrates being on the stage, and the only time he is at home when he bares his soul through a microphone. It is another first-rate performance on Selwyn Birchwood's latest stellar recording.

I received a download to review from Alligator Records.  Here is a video of "Freaks Come Out At Night," from this recording.