Label: Island Records (Europe), IMCD 282/586225-2
Style: Blues Rock, Classic Rock, Rock
Country: London, England
Time: 70:26
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 410 Mb
Charts: UK #22, AYS #28, GER #86, Nor #32, US #177.
Free returned to the studio in April 1969 to begin work on their second album and already there was trouble in the camp. Rodgers and Fraser had by now formed a pretty solid songwriting partnership although they were not exactly the best of buddies. This lead to Kossoff and Kirke feeling a little less than equal as both Rodgers and Fraser had very set ideas as to how they wanted the songs to sound. In fact things got so bad at one point that Rodgers and Fraser were going to leave the band and form a duo. Kirke and Kossoff actually auditioned Overend Watts from Mott The Hoople as Fraser’s replacement and Kossoff himself even auditioned for the vacant guitarist spots in both The Rolling Stones and Jethro Tull.
On to the album itself then. Well if "Tons of Sobs" was Free’s blues album then this self titled follow up was probably their folk album. Although Rodgers still insists it’s more of a soul album. The hard powerful blues that was all over the first album is still evident in places but is more controlled. If "Tons of Sobs" was a runaway horse then "Free" is a restrained gallop.
The album opens with ‘I’ll Be Creepin" which with it’s funky and prominent bass starts the album off in tremendous style. Just to prove the longevity of these songs Rodgers used this track to open his set on his most recent solo tour. ‘Songs Of Yesterday’ has the blues feel of the earlier album and some great Kossoff guitar, but then which of these tracks hasn’t. ‘Lying In The Sunshine’ is a similar type of song to ‘Over The Green Hills’ from the first album but with more of a soul feel. ‘Trouble On Double Time’ is the out and out blues rocker of the album and is the only track on which Kossoff and Kirke get a songwriting credit. It has a Stones like strut about it. ‘Mouthful Of Grass’ closed the first side on the original vinyl issue. Virtually an instrumental with just a choir of aaah’s it is a strangely hypnotic sort of song. It is also possibly one of the Free songs owned by the most people as it was used as the b-side to ‘All Right Now’. ‘Woman’ is classic Free at their best with a nice understated intro and a great early solo from Kossoff. It was particularly effective in a live setting and is as good as anything they ever recorded. Highlight for many is the lengthy almost whispering laid back folky blues track ‘Free Me’.
(classicrockreview.wordpress.com/2021/06/14/free-free-2nd-album-1969/)
01. I'll Be Creepin' (03:31)
02. Songs of Yesterday (03:37)
03. Lying in the Sunshine (03:58)
04. Trouble on Double Time (03:27)
05. Mouthful of Grass (03:39)
06. Woman (03:53)
07. Free Me (05:27)
08. Broad Daylight (03:19)
09. Mourning Sad Morning (05:13)
10. Broad Daylight (Single Version) (03:11)
11. The Worm (Single Version) (03:06)
12. I'll be Creepin' (Single Version) (02:51)
13. Sugar for Mr Morrison (Single Version) (03:03)
14. Broad Daylight (BBC Session) (03:22)
15. Songs of Yesterday (BBC Session) (03:13)
16. Mouthfull of Grass (Solo Version) (03:36)
17. Woman (Alternative Version) (04:03)
18. Trouble on Double Time (Early Version) (02:39)
19. Mourning Sad Morning (Alternative Version) (05:11)
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