Album Review: Selwyn Birchwood — Exorcist
I’ve written about Selwyn Birchwood on a number of occasions. Back when I was writing my “30 Days Out” column for Asheville’s altweekly (for a few years now it’s been a Musoscribe feature), I previewed one of his local gigs. I often described him using words like “young” and phrases like “up and coming.”
All that is in the past now. Birchwood gained the high profile his work deserved, and today he’s a well-known and widely acclaimed artist. A searing blues guitarist, he has a powerful voice and a talent for sharp songwriting. As he heads toward his 40th birthday (not quite yet: March 2025), Birchwood is no longer neither young nor especially new. And the Award-winning guitarist returned June 9 with Exorcist, his sixth and newest album.
Despite its title, Exorcist isn’t an overall dark collection of songs. True, the title track is a story of love gone very wrong, but the topical (and occasionally humorous) tracks “Florida Man” and “Swim at Your won Risk” deal with subject matter well outside customary blues fare.
“Florida Man” is worth singling out as a standout tune. All manner of faux news headline snippets are woven into the arrangement, and Birchwood’s wry take on the state where “rebel flags meet Mickey Mouse” makes for a fun listen. Searing guitar work only adds to the enjoyment. The surprising “Show Tune” that closes the album feels more like classic Stax soul than anything else. The instrumental raver is a testament to the wide-ranging approach to music that characterizes Selwyn Birchwood.
The rote I-IV-V structure of classic blues has served many artists well, and while Birchwood’s no stranger to that approach, he doesn’t allow himself to be boxed in by it. The songs have blues attitude and rock power, but they don’t lend themselves easily to strict categorization. That fact is one of Birchwood’s strengths, and should serve him well as his continues his auspicious musical journey.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.