Maybe it was a sign of how the band’s stock was steadily rising, but for this second album the producer was none other than Chris Blackwell, Island Records owner.
The most crucial thing here was the way in which the growing songwriting partnership between Paul Rodgers and Andy Fraser was beginning to take on the shape of greatness. Together, they wrote almost all of the original album’s songs, and these were certainly crucial in shaping the sound and style of the band.
There was now an interesting contrast between the discipline of Rodgers and Fraser and the more freeform sensibilities of Paul Kossoff. Under different circumstances, or with lesser talents, this would have been a disaster. Instead, it leads beautifully to a balance between the contrasts that coloured Free. If there were any tensions here, then they were channelled into making ‘Free’ a special album which took the band to a new level, and helped to establish their credentials as one of the primary shapers of the era.
Without this pivotal album, things would have been very different not only for Free, but also for rock music as it developed. 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. Free’s second LP was a more introspective affair than the blues-based “Tons of Sobs” which preceded it, and was recorded amidst inter-band turmoil which saw bassist Andy Fraser teaching Paul Kossoff his guitar parts, note-for-note. The songs here are uniformly excellent, and range from the mournful “Free Me” and the upbeat “Broad Daylight” to the languid “Lying in the Sunshine.”
Free were now masters of their own destiny, and about to become a massive name.
Solo Acoustic Version of “Mouthful Of Grass” from FREE (self titled) 1969 Album. Preformed by Andy Fraser
The Fat Angel Sings 