Free - Free 10 Reis (19 tracks) +Album Reviews

It's a Classic

06/14/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Some people have no idea when it comes to critical analysis of music!...(Having read the other reviews).Free is really the best album for mood and temperment that you can listen to from the Free collection.
It is my favorite due to it's soulfullness and inspired earthy integrity.
Every track has unique colors and flavors that carry the music to a beautifull world, a world that only Free could create.
I love and respect the quality and musicianship of this CD.
Both thumbs up!! It's a Classic."

A penultimate classic

G. G. Hansford | Newborough, Victoria Australia | 04/07/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"What a great album! The remastering certainly breathes life into this classic album and the liner notes which come with the CD are also most informative.

What interests me most about this album is that it was the one before the 'big one' - Fire and Water. The band have their first album under their belt and were gigging heavily. According to the liner notes the album was produced under strained conditions but it doesn't show - Outstanding tracks: the riffiness of 'I'll be creepin'; the jaunty punch of Fraser's bass in 'Songs of Yesterday' and 'Trouble on Double Time' are excellent. Kossoff's playing shines in the bluesy track 'Woman' and the album finishes with the ethereal 'Morning Sad Morning'... Rogers' voice is outstanding, and Kirke's drumming is impeccable...

The bonus tracks are great but I would have like to have seen more new material like 'Sugar for Mr Morrison' rather than alternatives of songs we already know.

An album certainly worth having... but play it when you're in a suitable mood!"

I got a burning heart...

Mark H. | Hanson, MA USA | 04/11/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The second album from Free, epononymous was released about six months after their debut, though the latter was later than was ready so a complete year's difference can be heard in the band's sound. The fragile chemistry which would later doom Free was showing signs during the sessions for `Free' and it was only through the intervention of Chris Blackwell, who produced it, that the band didn't fall apart so early in the game. Andy and Paul Rodgers had formed into a cohesive song writing partnership which demanded discipline in their band mates playing which did not suite Paul Kossoff whose vibrato and fluid soloing was built on improvisation and his confidence suffered. All of this didn't apparently hurt the quality of the record, it is a gem! Not better than the debut, just different, more soulful. "Songs of Yesterday" and "Woman" are true giants in blues rock as the latter became a showcase for the greatest singer of the genre. Rodgers is huge in this LP and Fraser's bass playing made strides as he played in more of a rhythm guitar style ("I'll Be Creepin'" is the epitome of this), obviously to fit his own compositions. Speaking of soul, "Trouble on Double Time" seems to channel Stevie Wonder, yet it still rocks! The slow songs are much slower than on `Sobs' and the final track is almost dirge like and depressing, but still very good. Why this record is not considered a classic is anyone's guess but if you love blues rock of superior quality, `Free' should be near the top of your list. Soulful, intense and mourning...sad mourning."

Free comes into their own with classic second album--remaste

Wayne Klein | My Little Blue Window, USA | 08/14/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Free had a short life as a band peaking commerically (in the U.S. at least) with their third album "Fire and Water" and the hit "All Right Now". By the second album the Fraser/Rodgers songwriting duo were in perfect synch producing the first of a strong trio of albums. Their self titled second album built on the sound of "Tons of Sobs". From the opening track "I'll Be Creeping" to the last from the original album "Mourning Sad Morning" the band kept their tight blues based sound focused on their unique blend of riff heavy playing of Paul Kossoff driven by the punchy rhythm section of Andy Fraser and Simon Kirke. Rodgers' voice commands attention with his high octane fuel injected voice.

The bonus tracks are terrific with the much punchier single versions of "Broad Daylight", its b-side "The Worm", "I'll Be Creeping" and its b-side "Sugar For Mr. Morrison" (an instrumental which is a needle drop as the original mastertape is missing). We also get BBC sessions for "Broad Daylight", "Songs of Yesterday" and alternate/early versions of "Trouble on Double Time", "Mourning Sad Morning" and "Woman". There's also an instrumental demo by Fraser for what would turn out to be "Mouthful of Grass" once Rodgers' added lyrics and a melody.

Audiophiles should be made aware that this is No Noised which means that the tape hiss has been eliminated using a filter that also throws a veil over the music. I'd go for a first pressing CD prior to the remaster first. The source tape, ironically, is the original master for the album so it is a pity that this was done. This is an album that truly deserves to be remastered by an audio restoration expert but to mastering engineer Peter Mew's credit the album sounds solid (although I should state up front that it does sound like it was compressed) for a modern remaster even with the use of No Noise to "clean up" the sound. I'd recommend trying to find an earlier CD edition before the remaster but keep in mind you won't be getting any of the bonus tracks and there are some keepers here."

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