After a busy week at work it was nice to get out last night for a pub dinner with my lovely wife followed by a quiet evening at home. Today holds many missions and possibilities, but for now, let’s start with a music review.
Disc 1744 is…Free Yourself Up
Artist: Lake Street Dive
Year of Release: 2018
What’s up with the Cover? Very little. They all have different arm placements, so maybe this is like the Beatles’ “Help!’ minus the enthusiasm. Less “Help!” and more “Hello”.
Or maybe this is a police lineup trying to identify the perpetrators in a string of H&M clothing heists. Singer Rachael Price has her arms up, making her look particularly guilty.
How I Came To Know It: I loved the band’s previous album, “Side Pony” and had heard a couple songs off this record that showed promise, so I dove in.
How It Stacks Up: I have three Lake Street Dive albums and “Free Yourself Up” comes in at #2.
Rating: 3 stars
At its heart, Lake Street Dive is a R&B/Soul band, but it is a band filled with music nerds who aren’t afraid to throw in influences of many other genres to keep themselves happy. Pop and rock yes, but the big influencer is jazz. Given my usual reaction to jazz, you’d expect this to land poorly here on the CD Odyssey, but the album lives up to its title, freeing me up to enjoy the experience.
The biggest reason for this is the vocal prowess of lead singer Rachael Price. Price’s alto vocals are quite simply, revelatory. She belts with power few singers can dream of but does it with a tone that draws you in, rather than blowing you over. Those jazz influences I mention earlier are a benefit here, giving her a natural feel for where to explore a melody creatively, without ever leaving you behind.
On “Good Kisser” Price effortlessly moves through a complex arrangement, bouncing off the natural groove in the song in a way, like a veteran sailor reading a swell. On “I Can Change” she is pure emotion, elevating what would be a good pop song into something revelatory and transcendent.
The other reason is the songwriting of bass player Bridget Kearney. While the whole band takes a turn or two at writing or contributing to composition, Kearney is the star and most of the memorable tracks here are hers, including the two I mentioned above (“I Can Change” being co-composed with Price).
“I Can Change” is particularly powerful. Very unlike the R&B feel of the rest of the album, with a majestic slow march of understanding from hate to love; self-loathing to resilience.
“Good Kisser” is a clever break up song. The narrator has been involved in a clandestine affair that is now over, and confessions of infidelity are on the horizon for all concerned. It could be grim, but the mistress in the tale isn’t owning any shame or sadness, opting for a sassy refrain of:
“If you’re gonna
tell her everything
tell her I’m a good
kisser.”
Nice notion that is reinforced in the song’s structure, which features a natural rise in the melody and a jump in the delivery. The combination makes the song self-assured, triumphant and more than a little feisty.
The album’s first four songs are all Kearney compositions and the best songs on the record. After that, quality drops away. “Dude” (Track 5) is an overwritten song that tries to mix jazz and hard rock and just comes off noisy. “Musta Been Something” (Track 9) is a slow jam that meanders too much and takes too long doing it. Price’s vocals hold you in their spell as always, but this was the one song where I felt the jazz rubbing me wrong.
The best late-appearing track is “You Are Free”, is the one not written by Kearney that stands out. A funky guitar riff leads things off, and then slips into a ska-adjacent groove that is danceable, but only if you’re willing to get creative and use your arms. Note that this should be instruction for all dancing. The kids these days I see shuffling and floor-staring are really missing out. Free yourself up, kids! Eye contact! Full Extension!
But I digress…
Overall, while “Free Yourself Up” is uneven, with the exception of “Dude” all the songs are listenable and fun. There are some true anthems that will lift you up and have you singing along, or (for the slow jams) giving you a safe space for some quiet contemplation about life, love and everything.
Best tracks: Baby Don’t Leave Me Alone With My Thoughts, Good Kisser, Shame Shame Shame, I Can Change, You Are Free
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