JAMIE FREEMAN - DREAMS ABOUT FALLING
2019 - Union Music Label
Since his very first recording Jamie Freeman has been known as an excellent vocalist and multi instrumentalist as well as being an equally good songwriter and producer but with this new album everything seems to have gone up by at least a further notch. This is Jamie's third full length recording to which has to be added last year's tremendous e.p, 'Hasia Dreams' (of which a little more later) and whilst enjoying his previous albums, 'Dreams about falling' really is a big leap forward.
Whilst this album can't really be labeled as straight 'country music' there is certainly much in it that has a countrified rock feel with the powerful rootsiness, emphasized by the quality of the women who 'duetted' with him such as the increasingly popular Angaleena Presley on the epic, cinematic Down range, Brandy Zdan, who also co-wrote Standing on a star with him and Amy Speace, who again, co-wrote The man I want to be.
The album was produced by the renowned and multi talented producer Neilson Hubbard, a man who also has his own solo music career as well as being a member of the 'Orphan Brigade.' Of the ten songs on the album two were written solely by Jamie whilst the others were co-writes with Angaleena Presley, Ben Glover, Brandy Zdan, Doug and Telisha Williams (The Wild Ponies), Michael Logen, Amy Speace and Amy Tudor, who co-wrote two of the songs with him. I only mentioned all of the co-writers to illustrate the growing esteem that Jamie is held in by the 'roots' music world. Certainly on this recording he has worked with some hugely talented songwriters but as many have pointed out before, that is not something that would happen were it not felt they were working with someone who at least shares equality with them.
There is a sense of gritty drama in virtually every one of these ten songs on the album and whilst those songs in themselves are enough to make this an outstanding recording, when you add Jamie's warm, expressive vocal style and the superb arrangements and production there is little more the discerning music fan could wish for, certainly not this one! It is almost impossible to single out a few extra special songs to mention such is the quality so in the end I picked a few completely at random plus the incredible Rum and smoke.
There is a dynamic, excellent start to the opening song, All in the name, with guitar and percussion leading to Jamie's expressive vocal. The song gradually takes off as a much denser sound begins to build although it never loses focus as several minor crescendos are reached before tailing off as it segues into the next track, Down range. This song starts slowly and gently with Jamie's lead vocal before Angaleena's gorgeous voice takes over and the percussion becomes more dynamic. The tension builds and they exchange sentences on an almost cinematic epic with Jamie and Angaleena's vocals working beautifully together, further increasing the dramatic impact of a tremendous song. It's a song that with a little promotion could easily become a huge country hit. Rum and smoke is an updated version of the incredible song that was first heard on last year's 'Hasia Dreams' e.p. On that recording the song had more of a contemporary country sound with the lap steel guitar to the fore whilst in some ways having more of a stripped down feel. Here there is more of a rock dynamic that emphasizes the intensity of the sometimes harrowing drama in the lyrics. Why re-record it now? Answer: Because it is a brilliant song! It is a song that contains much that is personal to me, and no doubt many others, although not necessarily in terms of the alcoholism, but it is an incredibly perceptive tale that often gets to the root of the effects of someone losing a parent far too early. It is built not just on a strong story but also a dynamic, excellent melody and in so many ways is the definition of a great song. An acoustic guitar and Jamie's vocal with mandolin for support gets The Deer off to a nice start before the percussion comes in. There are some lovely harmonies as the instrumentation solidifies on yet another tremendous story song that builds in lyrical as well as musical intensity and power. As The man I want to be starts, what sounds like a restrained slide guitar seems to be hovering under the sound bringing a slightly sinister intensity to the song from the off. A gentle acoustic guitar leads the piano and steel guitar in before Jamie's vocal roots the tale and the dramatic tension slowly builds with percussion setting things at an ideal level. Gradually things open up on this beautiful almost enigmatic ballad with Amy Speaces' lovely vocals gelling with Jamie's as the power builds further with strings and slide guitar raising the song to a crescendo, accompanied by the mellotron. I've mentioned half of the songs on this tremendous album but could just as easily have written about the other half such is the excellence of everything about the recording. Whilst I've talked about the equal quality of everything, I suppose I have to admit to a couple of favourites in Down range and of course Rum and smoke, both of which have that little extra something, but really, buy the album, give it 'umpteen' listens as I have, and I'm pretty sure you will agree with most, if not all, that I've said.
Much of what is written about Jamie refers to him as the brother of actor Martin and musician Tim of the Frazier Chorus. Thanks to the immense quality of this recording the time is very close at hand when Martin will be referred to as 'brother of singer, songwriter, producer, Jamie Freeman.' Just playing with words, I know, but some kind of context for Jamie's still developing musical talents that don't seem to have any limits for a man already at the top of the game.
https://www.jamiefreeman.co.uk/
Since his very first recording Jamie Freeman has been known as an excellent vocalist and multi instrumentalist as well as being an equally good songwriter and producer but with this new album everything seems to have gone up by at least a further notch. This is Jamie's third full length recording to which has to be added last year's tremendous e.p, 'Hasia Dreams' (of which a little more later) and whilst enjoying his previous albums, 'Dreams about falling' really is a big leap forward.
Whilst this album can't really be labeled as straight 'country music' there is certainly much in it that has a countrified rock feel with the powerful rootsiness, emphasized by the quality of the women who 'duetted' with him such as the increasingly popular Angaleena Presley on the epic, cinematic Down range, Brandy Zdan, who also co-wrote Standing on a star with him and Amy Speace, who again, co-wrote The man I want to be.
The album was produced by the renowned and multi talented producer Neilson Hubbard, a man who also has his own solo music career as well as being a member of the 'Orphan Brigade.' Of the ten songs on the album two were written solely by Jamie whilst the others were co-writes with Angaleena Presley, Ben Glover, Brandy Zdan, Doug and Telisha Williams (The Wild Ponies), Michael Logen, Amy Speace and Amy Tudor, who co-wrote two of the songs with him. I only mentioned all of the co-writers to illustrate the growing esteem that Jamie is held in by the 'roots' music world. Certainly on this recording he has worked with some hugely talented songwriters but as many have pointed out before, that is not something that would happen were it not felt they were working with someone who at least shares equality with them.
There is a sense of gritty drama in virtually every one of these ten songs on the album and whilst those songs in themselves are enough to make this an outstanding recording, when you add Jamie's warm, expressive vocal style and the superb arrangements and production there is little more the discerning music fan could wish for, certainly not this one! It is almost impossible to single out a few extra special songs to mention such is the quality so in the end I picked a few completely at random plus the incredible Rum and smoke.
There is a dynamic, excellent start to the opening song, All in the name, with guitar and percussion leading to Jamie's expressive vocal. The song gradually takes off as a much denser sound begins to build although it never loses focus as several minor crescendos are reached before tailing off as it segues into the next track, Down range. This song starts slowly and gently with Jamie's lead vocal before Angaleena's gorgeous voice takes over and the percussion becomes more dynamic. The tension builds and they exchange sentences on an almost cinematic epic with Jamie and Angaleena's vocals working beautifully together, further increasing the dramatic impact of a tremendous song. It's a song that with a little promotion could easily become a huge country hit. Rum and smoke is an updated version of the incredible song that was first heard on last year's 'Hasia Dreams' e.p. On that recording the song had more of a contemporary country sound with the lap steel guitar to the fore whilst in some ways having more of a stripped down feel. Here there is more of a rock dynamic that emphasizes the intensity of the sometimes harrowing drama in the lyrics. Why re-record it now? Answer: Because it is a brilliant song! It is a song that contains much that is personal to me, and no doubt many others, although not necessarily in terms of the alcoholism, but it is an incredibly perceptive tale that often gets to the root of the effects of someone losing a parent far too early. It is built not just on a strong story but also a dynamic, excellent melody and in so many ways is the definition of a great song. An acoustic guitar and Jamie's vocal with mandolin for support gets The Deer off to a nice start before the percussion comes in. There are some lovely harmonies as the instrumentation solidifies on yet another tremendous story song that builds in lyrical as well as musical intensity and power. As The man I want to be starts, what sounds like a restrained slide guitar seems to be hovering under the sound bringing a slightly sinister intensity to the song from the off. A gentle acoustic guitar leads the piano and steel guitar in before Jamie's vocal roots the tale and the dramatic tension slowly builds with percussion setting things at an ideal level. Gradually things open up on this beautiful almost enigmatic ballad with Amy Speaces' lovely vocals gelling with Jamie's as the power builds further with strings and slide guitar raising the song to a crescendo, accompanied by the mellotron. I've mentioned half of the songs on this tremendous album but could just as easily have written about the other half such is the excellence of everything about the recording. Whilst I've talked about the equal quality of everything, I suppose I have to admit to a couple of favourites in Down range and of course Rum and smoke, both of which have that little extra something, but really, buy the album, give it 'umpteen' listens as I have, and I'm pretty sure you will agree with most, if not all, that I've said.
Much of what is written about Jamie refers to him as the brother of actor Martin and musician Tim of the Frazier Chorus. Thanks to the immense quality of this recording the time is very close at hand when Martin will be referred to as 'brother of singer, songwriter, producer, Jamie Freeman.' Just playing with words, I know, but some kind of context for Jamie's still developing musical talents that don't seem to have any limits for a man already at the top of the game.
https://www.jamiefreeman.co.uk/