Scott H. Biram is a one-man band, handling vocals, guitar, drums, and harmonica. His persona is that of mad religious cult leader, songs often equal parts rock and roll and testifying. The image is aided by his surviving a head-on wreck with an 18-wheeler, returning to the stage a month later, giving him a supernatural aura.
Sold Out to the Devil: A Collection of Gospel Cuts by the Rev. Scott H. Biram is a compilation of Biram’s more spiritual tracks, on the occasion of Bloodshot Records, his current label, turning 25. The album features one unreleased track, “Broadminded,” and two first vinyl pressings of songs from his self-released Preachin’ and Hollerin’. So while it’s not a great deal for rabid Biram fans, who probably already own all of these tracks, for those unfamiliar with his work, this is a wonderful introduction to a fantastic artist.
Because the thing about Biram is he straddles a line that shouldn’t exist. His sound is raw, because his instrumentation is limited by both limbs and mouth. But despite that limited cupboard, he manages to create rich music that borrows from punk, metal, country, and, as the album title promises, gospel. The delivery is delightfully inscrutable. Biram is intense and serious, but there’s also a playfulness that makes me wonder how much is persona and how much is performance art.
Whatever Biram’s intent, he’s crafted some amazing songs. For instance, “Been Down Too Long,” relies on a relentless guitar strum and some distorted vocals that take Biram into Howlin’ Wolf and heavy metal territory. He repeatedly asks for an amen, but with such fervor that it’s not a request, so much as it’s an order. The feeling will resonate with anyone who’s ever sat in a religious service feeling the judgment radiating off of the pulpit.
Like any great gospel artist, Biram can conjure an orchestra with just his hands and breath. He does so on his cover of The Reverend Gary Davis’ “God Don’t Work (Like a Natural Man),” one of the aforementioned Preaching’ and Hollerin’ tracks. The song is Biram singing unaccompanied, except for his own handclaps and some occasional harmonica blasts. You’re completely overwhelmed by the physicality of the performance. The handclaps sounds like two pieces of meat being slapped into each other with great speed. And Biram himself is out of breath by the end of the performance, practically gasping at the song’s conclusion.
There’s a lot to love about the tracks selected here. Biram shows many different sides, from country to psychobilly. But the common thread is Biram’s commitment to the songs. Slow or fast, noisy or quiet, Biram puts everything he has into every track. And that sincerity is what makes these spiritual and spiritually-inspired songs so special. I don’t know how much Biram is playing a character and how much these songs speak to faith, but the album reminds me Paul Thorn’s Don’t Let the Devil Ride, which was Thorn’s tribute to the gospel music of his youth. Consciously or subconsciously, Biram feels a connection to this spiritual music, and these 10 tracks are proof of that undying devotion.