Search - Free :: Free at Last

Free At Last

Brian Donaldson | Van Nuys, CA, United States | 11/07/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"All the idiot reviewers who gave a less than favorable review

of this album are completely deluded.



This album was indeed the best album FREE did. From Andy Fraser's song "Catch A Train" all the way thru to his song "Goodbye" -- this is a rip-roaring album with absolutely,

excruciatingly gut wrenching lead guitar from the one and only Paul Kossoff. What else can I say about the vocals from the master himself, Paul Rodgers, the greatest rock vocalist that ever walked on two feet...



The extra tracks, although alternatives, are magnificent, especially Rodgers solo version of "Guardian Of The Universe".



Anyone who gives this version a less than favorable review is an idiot.



To the reviewer who said that it was Rabbit playing keyboards on this album is also deluded -- the piano work was done mainly by Andy Fraser....



I remember well when this album came out. I bought it immediately as soon as it hit the record shops back in 1972. It is still a great pleasure to listen to today.



Rock Me Rodgers!"

Penultimate album by Free has its moments

Wayne Klein | My Little Blue Window, USA | 08/16/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Free broke up. The band decided to try one last time for the sake of their guitarist Paul Kossoff who was spiraling into drug addiction. Songwriters Andy Fraser and Paul Rodgers decided to put their disagreements and differences aside to try and save their friend.

The big songs here were "Catch A Train" and "Little Bit of Love" but there's other material that holds its own with their best particularly Rodgers' "Guardian of the Universe".



The sound quality could be better. This doesn't sound bad its just that there is No Noise applied which softens the detail of the music and deadens it somewhat. For a newer master (it was remastered in 2001) it doesn't sound bad it could just sound so much better.



Bonus tracks are the reason to get this. We get "Burnin'(Molten Gold)" in an alternate mix that curiously fades in at the beginning. We also get a jam of the band on "Honky Tonk Woman" which really should have been released its such a unique take. The rest are alternate mixes except for a solo performance of "Guardian of the Universe" with Paul Rodgers.



There really aren't any undiscovered "new" songs here aside from the cover of "HTW".



Free would soldier on without Fraser (who left to form his band The Sharks with guitarist Chris Spedding)for one more album and tour before the band fractured yet again for the second and final time. Fraser would go on to record four solo albums and work as a writer for other artists (he wrote "Every Kinda People" which Robert Palmer turned into a huge hit). Rodgers and Kirke went on to form Bad Company. Kossoff eventually died on a plane flight from a heart attack as he continued to flirt with death using drugs.



By the way "Heartbreaker" the band's final album is well worth picking up as well."