Scott H. Biram, Austin’s Dirty Old One-Man Band, is back with his blend of country, blues, punk, gospel and soul. Every type of music that I like is thrown in a blender by one crazy Texan and poured into a rocks glass neat. Just like a fine bourbon, Something’s Wrong/Lost Forever is meant for sipping, but occasionally it’s customary to fire a shot back to know you’re alive.
The album opens with an authentic message from Biram’s stay in the hospital after a run in with an 18 wheeler. That intro leads into the blues/punk gospel of “Time Flies.” Biram testifies to the fragility of life and how quickly it can be gone. A couple of tunes later, “Still Drunk, Still Crazy, Still Blue” is a tear in your beer country weeper with lyrics that would make Willie proud. It features John Wesley Myers from Black Diamond Heavies and serves as the perfect accent to Biram’s sound.
But it’s Biram’s fiery, almost maniacal rants that get me excited for each of his albums. “Judgement Day” shows up smack dab in the middle of the album and is a double shot, full of piss and vinegar. Biram takes a look at our society and the leaches bleeding us dry while he plays the guitar like it’s on fire.
I don’t know if Sonething’s Wrong/Lost Forever is Biram’s best effort. Time will tell if its worthy of that distinction. Out of all of his albums, however, this is the one that I connected with most and is probably the most accessible for newcomers to Scott H. Biram’s music.
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