Free: Island Remasters

Having just released a stunning debut, for album two Free didn't waste any time starting the follow-up.  Whereas the first lp was mostly recorded in just two weeks, 'Free' evolved over 6 months, during gaps in the band's intense touring schedule.  That might have resulted in a disjointed creation but it is, if anything, more coherent, comprising 9 original numbers, all written by the now established song writing partnership of Andy Fraser and Paul Rodgers (one number being credited to the band).  Refining their 'less is more' approach which set the band apart from its contemporaries, the absence of any blues covers also showed that this was a band with confidence and a clear sense of direction.  Here's a quick butchers at the original album tracks first ...The opener, "I'll Be Creepin’", has an upbeat rhythm which at first disguises a frankly alarming tale of distrust, coercive control and threats of stalking.  The upbeat, bass-driven, "Songs Of Yesterday" has Rodgers in melancholic mood before Paul Kossoff rips into a 2 part guitar solo.  "Lying In The Sunshine", a dreamy acoustic number, lifts the mood with its lazy optimism before the soul/funk of "Trouble On Double Time" warns of the temptations and dangers of having too much of a good time.  Surprisingly (when Paul Rodgers is the singer in your band) an instrumental, "Mouthful of Grass" - a tuneful folky acoustic number, ended the old Side 1.  Kicking off the old Side 2, the heavy blues of "Woman" soon gives way to a folky riff which wouldn't have been out of place on a Fairport Convention track.  "Free Me" is dark and melancholic and like "Moonshine" on Tons Of Sobs foretold Black Sabbath, to my ears at least.  "Broad Daylight" is a curious number, lifted by Kossoff's tasteful solo, before the album closes with the deeply melancholic folky acoustic "Mourning Sad Morning", which features Traffic's Chris Wood on flute.  A really good album which had the band treading water commercially, but not creatively and paved the way for the masterpiece ‘Fire And Water’, which would deliver success in spades.In effect this great-sounding remastered expanded edition is a double album, with 10 extras (!) - the band’s first 2 singles’ A and B sides, alternative takes, early versions and 2 BBC sessions.   Pick of the bunch for me is the B side “Sugar For Mr Morrison” - another instrumental, this time with jazzy bass and piano and Kossoff ripping into his Les Paul.  The great 8 page colour booklet includes photos, recording details and an essay which provides background to the sessions.

Following from their impressive debut (Tons of Sobs), Free came straight out of the blocks with this more than impressive follow up. Building on the sound they'd created, a blues drenched rock sound driven by the drums and Bass of Fraser and Kirke, layered with the work of guitar god Kossoff and with the vocals of one of the finest blues singers we've ever produced, Paul Rodgers.There are some classic tracks here, such as `I'll Be Creepin', and the storming `Songs Of Yesterday'. It's a great stepping stone for their third, and greatest album, `Fire and Water'.This is a great album in it's own right though, and shows that the young group had an astonishing maturity.This is one of the 2001 Island remaster releases of all Free's albums. The sound has been restored beautifully. It's nowhere near as murky as my old copy, and allows the contribution of each band member to be heard in perfect clarity. There is a set bonus material - alternate takes, and contemporary singles and B sides. These are interesting, but probably more of interest to the completist. There is an interesting essay about the band, which really adds to the set. As an added bonus, if you collect all the discs in the set the spines form a picture.

I had this album on cassette (remember cassettes?) until some scrotes broke into our house back in the 80s and took the lot. Replacing it on CD filled a hole in my collection, and unlike a lot of CDs, this one seems to have captured the depth of the original sound pretty well. I'm not going to attempt to review the contents, except to say that this collection represents the breadth of the band's talents, with a mixture of hard driving numbers and slow and deeply contemplative alternatives. The CD has a number of bonus tracks, which are OK, but in my view don't add a lot to the original album.

Excellent and as good as I remember it after my vinyl copy vanished some years ago, probably to a car boot sale courtesy of my wife. Anyway a great recording and so easy to just relax into the it. Good value for the money and the additional tracks/versions are interesting but the original tracks are probably the best. Great for easing the tension whilst stuck in rush our traffic or for winding down on a Saturday or Sunday morning. Just makes you realise how good a band Free were back then as some of these tracks could stand up very well now.

Paul Rodgers, Simon Kirke, Paul Kossoff and Andy Fraser collectively known as Free one of the greatest rock bands of all time. Listen to this slice of perfection on headphones with a large whiskey and ginger and remember when we produced the best of the best.

Great Album. Great Sound. Great Singer. Great to hear again. I must get my original LP out & repair that turntable. Rock On!

The band free were way ahead of there time and this is a good album with a fantastic guitarist in koss

Just fine, no problems. Cheers.