The late 60’s and the early 70’s were great times for rock music. There were so many outstanding bands, some got huge, and some did not. Freedom was a British rock band that never got massively popular, but they wrote good music. They may be a bit forgotten, and their albums were not easy to find for a number of years. Grapefruit Records is changing that perception. This box set has everything you ever needed from Freedom. It includes all of their works, all in one place.
Freedom initially formed in the late 60s, when guitarist, Ray Hoyer, and (singing) drummer, Bobby Harrison, left Procol Harum. Hoyer and Harrison quickly formed a new band around them. They initially started as a psychedelic rock band, only to start adding heavier influences, and at times a bluesier approach. They never matched the popularity of their former band, but what they did was quite intense and original. Listening to this music now, you clearly see a band looking for direction, finding it, and developing a style. There is definitely a build from album to album. The band came to an end in 1972, when Bobby Harrison became a frontman for Snafu, but that’s a whole other chapter.
The boxset includes the following albums: Nerosubianco, Freedom at Last, Freedom, Through the Years, and Freedom is More Than a Word. There are many bonus tracks included with these discs, and a very nice booklet that gives the whole Freedom history, and provides many insightful information about the recordings. It is a beautifully put together set with a music lover in mind.
The beauty of the music from that time period is definitely rooted in exploration. Freedom definitely has that edge. They may sound simple at times, but at the same time very exciting. The five records included in this set are just great to listen to all the way through. Don’t expect any hits, but be ready for some uncompromising heavy rock to shake your foundations. Freedom is born again….at least in your stereo system!
Mark Kadzielawa
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