CD Odyssey Disc 1716: Dori Freeman

Happy Leap Year! I don’t know why getting one extra day every four years is so whimsical and fun but…it is.

Maybe it is fitting that the other three albums by this next artist were reviewed within a year of their release but this next one took seven before I finally rolled it. Was there some leap year magic involved? Let’s say there was.

Disc 1716 is…Letters Never Read

Artist: Dori Freeman

Year of Release: 2017

What’s up with the Cover? Dori Freeman swings us an ‘over the shoulder’ for consideration. I hope that tile behind her is kitchen tile, because otherwise this picture was taken in the bathroom. Privacy please!

How I Came To Know It: I loved Freeman’s first album and was excited to hear the follow up. I would not be disappointed.

How It Stacks Up: I have four Dori Freeman albums which I thought was all of them, but in preparing to do this review I discovered she’d released something in 2023. D’oh! I must get this record! However, rules are rules and rules say when I’m done what’s currently in my collection I do a recap. So here it is. I’ll do another after I locate the new record and (hopefully) like it enough to buy it.

1. Self-Titled: 5 stars (reviewed at Disc 947)
2. Letters Never Read: 5 stars (reviewed right here)
3. Every Single Star: 3 stars (reviewed at Disc 1367)
4. Ten Thousand Roses: 3 stars (reviewed at Disc 1554)

 Rating: 5 stars

 Apparently no one told Dori Freeman about the sophomore slump, because her second record is just as wonderful as her first. ”Letters Never Read” doesn’t have that “undiscovered talent” thrill of her debut, but it has all the same charm, with an extra shot of confidence to boot.

It all starts with her voice. Her tone is as pure and sweet as anything in my collection, displaying all kinds of range without ever straining. It flows out of her so easy and naturally that you may not even notice how good it is, until you try to sing along and realize you can’t keep up. She can go low or high with equally rich tone, and she can hit a note with a smooth calm, or a trembling quaver with equal ability.

On “Letters Never Read” she has an added element of confidence in her delivery. The songs aren’t as raw as on her debut, but hearing that certainty of purpose gives you another facet to her delivery that makes the new record its own creature, a natural and welcome growth of her talent. You won’t sing along not just because it’s hard, but because you’d just rather hear her do it.

Freeman pairs that vocal prowess with a songwriting talent that is second to none. Lyrically, these songs are filled with simple words and minimal metaphor, but an honesty so deep and fragile that the simple phrasing will sink deep inside you.

Melodically, she writes with a meandering lilt. The songs themselves rarely exceed three minutes, but they feel like a river, undulating through a course that they’ve carved over millennia. The tunes are a perfectly crafted course; over in a hurry and leaving you wanting more, but knowing they said all they had to say in those too-brief moments.

“Letters Never Read” is a who’s who of folk royalty, old and new. Aoife O’Donovan sings harmony, as do Canadian duo Kacy & Clayton. She also enlists the talents of father and son folk heroes Richard and Teddy Thompson.

Most of the songs are originals, but like any good traditional folk record, she’s not afraid to tackle a classic. In this case it is the aforementioned elder Thompson’s 1974 tune with wife Linda, “I Want To See the Bright Lights Tonight”. I love the original but if I’m keeping it real, Freeman’s is better.

Heartwarmingly, she also does an acapella performance of a song written by…her grandfather. It is “Ern and Zorry’s Sneakin’ Bitin’ Dog” and it tells of two young lovers getting home late from the movies and having to elude the neighbourhood’s ill-mannered dog along the way. It’s a great tune, and a good example of how Freeman is solidly grounded in both the traditions of the genre but also her personal experience.

This combination of traditional and intensely personal make this record as perfect as her debut. A bit lighter, and a bit warmer around the edges, but just as overflowing with inspirational music.

Best tracks: all tracks

CD Odyssey Disc 1554: Dori Freeman

I had a slow start to finding new music for 2022, but it has picked up of late. Anyone who doesn’t think good music is getting made anymore, needs to get out there and listen to more music.

This next artist still feels new to me, even though she’s been around for six years and released four albums. Time flies when your ears are having fun.

Disc 1554 is…. Ten Thousand Roses

Artist: Dori Freeman

Year of Release: 2021

What’s up with the Cover? The old head & shoulders shot, with Dori showcasing a tattoo of some heart-shaped glasses done in that rustic style the young folks often favour these days.

You can just see the top of Dori’s ear through her hair. Combined with all that lush greenery in the background, I must posit that she may, in fact, be an elf.

How I Came To Know It: I am a Dori Freeman fan dating back to her incredible debut album. I ranked that album #1 for 2016.

How It Stacks Up: “Ten Thousand Roses” is not the quality of Freeman’s debut. Of my four Dori Freeman albums it comes in…fourth.

Ratings: 3 stars

I was at a party last night and I found the subject had turned to music. I was trying (not entirely successfully) to explain how Amon Amarth weren’t just Viking death metal, they were melodic Viking death metal. It’s the melodic part that holds me. After many years of music appreciation, I am not easily fooled by clever production (more often I’m annoyed by it) and while I do love a clever arrangement, it doesn’t matter much if the song lacks strong bones.

Which brings us to Dori Freeman. Freeman is pure folk-country. You will not find a single bar of double-bass, and nary a mention of Vikings, but like most music that draws me in, she is a brilliant songwriter. She knows how to make a melody lilt in your mind, novel enough to catch your attention and timeless enough that you feel like you’ve heard it a thousand times.

Complementing her talent for songwriting, Freeman has one of those voices that instantly connects. She has a rich tone that lends itself to the intimate storytelling that is hallmark of her style, and a power that fills a room while never has her resorting to belting it out to make it happen.

On “Ten Thousand Roses” the production is a bit more involved than previous records. I find that as folk artists establish themselves they often “grow” their sound in new ways. I could have used a bit less of that production in places on this record, but it isn’t so lush as to get in the way.

In fact, despite the “dressier” quality to the sound, “Ten Thousand Roses” still feels intensely personal. A lot of the songs relate to an exploration of the self, and the values that make up our decisions. On “I Am” she serves notice that the image of sweet girl from the Appalachians is only true to a point, starting with:

“I ain’t a good girl, though everybody thinks I am
I got a mind that’s dirty as the bottom of a coffee can”

The song had me thinking of Eminem’s “The Way I Am.” It is a whole lot subtler, but the notion that “I’ll define myself, thank you very much” is equally front and centre.

The record has appeals to Freeman’s folk roots, one of the best being “Appalachian,” which has her reminiscing about growing up in Galax, Virginia, with some critical commentary on how such rural communities often struggle to get ahead.

And while the record holds strong to her folk beginnings, songs like “Walk Away” take a base of Patsy Cline country and layer in sixties pop croon that reminded me favourably of She & Him.

That theme bears out on the record’s final song, which is a cover of Dion’s 1975 song “Only You Know” written by Gerry Goffin and Phil Spector. The song fits perfectly on the record, which hearkens back to a simpler time in music, while still containing the bite of truth that signals there will also be some exploration of the soul mixed in with the sugary composition.

In the end, while “Ten Thousand Roses” isn’t my favourite Dori Freeman album, it is still a worthy entry into her small but impressive catalogue.

Best tracks: The Storm, I Am, Nobody Nothing, Appalachian

CD Odyssey Disc 1367: Dori Freeman

Welcome back to the CD Odyssey! Let’s get to the music, shall we?

Disc 1367 is…. Every Single Star

Artist: Dori Freeman

Year of Release: 2019

What’s up with the Cover? This is a painting by Caitlin Mattisson, and it is absolutely beautiful. I’m not sure it could be any better, in fact. No, wait, there is one way. How about a portrait of a cat instead? Cats are better, Dori.

How I Came To Know It: Thumbing through the “miscellaneous F” section at the record store. I was already a fan of Dori Freeman from her previous two albums, but I had no idea she had put out a new one. And there it was! Not often an artist I like this much sneaks out a release without me knowing, but it made for a fun discovery. I bought it unheard based on how much I liked her previous work.

How It Stacks Up: I have three Dori Freeman albums, which is every one except some very early record from 2011 called “Porchlight.” I should look into finding that, although I suspect it will be a tough find. Of the three I have, “Every Single Star” comes in third. It’s good, but the field is just too strong.

Ratings: 3 stars but almost 4

Nothing matches a great tone. You can hit every single note through five octaves, but it is tone that touches the heartstrings. Dori Freeman has tone to spare; a sweet, sparse and straight-from-the heart directness that makes her a natural storyteller.

All of those qualities remain front and centre on her latest release, “Every Single Star.” And long-time producer Teddy Thompson has once again do exactly what you should do when you meet someone with such a gift; get the hell out of the way and let her shine. The production is as bare as a newly swept wooden cabin floor. This is also where you can imagine Freeman is singing. She has the frank openness of a small-towner, and you just know that whether she’s singing as herself or in character, she brings truth to every line.

On “Every Single Star” you can tell Dori Freeman has found contentment. To be sure, she still has songs about jilted love and worthless men, and she still does them well. But she balances these with songs about domestic bliss, two-stepping with your lover and being a mom.

With this balance, the ‘bad boy’ songs are less about heartbreak and more about Freeman telling us she is so over that kind of life. The best of these “get stuffed” songs is the seventies crooner, “All I Ever Wanted” where she evokes the slow romantic power of Linda Ronstadt in her prime. This is what Freeman does best, singing songs that have a timeless quality that have you checking the liner notes to see if they are from 1974, only to find she wrote them herself only last year. This one features an exasperated chorus of a reasonable woman who still can’t get her man to meet some basic expectations that is perfect in its simplicity:

“Would you listen to me when I’m talking to you?

No, I’m not that hard to satisfy

All I ever wanted was a decent man

To give a damn and try.”

The album also has a lot of “I love my child” songs, which isn’t my usual bag, but on tracks like “Like I Do” it inspires her to some of her best songwriting. The chorus is a bit saccharine, but you forgive it because Freeman’s heartfelt love is so unassuming and real. On “I’ll Be Coming Home” it works less well, but maybe the idea of rushing home to see your kid is such a foreign concept to my “cats not kids” lifestyle.

“That’s How I Feel” is the strongest track on the record, with powerful imagery that captures the feeling of being parted from a loved one:

“One can in the back of the fridge

One doe sitting high on a ridge

One man with his foot off the bridge

That’s how I feel when I’m without you.”

I love the way this verse ramps up quickly from the slight amusement of the abandoned beer can, to the exposed deer on a hill, and eventually the despair of a man contemplating ending it all. Powerful stuff, and Freeman delivers it plainly, letting the power of her truth and tone imbue it with all the loneliness and vulnerability it implies.

If anything, the main thing holding back “Every Single Star” is the sheer brilliance of the two records that preceded it. Both of those have songs that make you feel like you’re falling through an ocean of a thousand sighs. The majesty and enormity of the tune and vocals together simply overwhelm you. “Every Single Star” is a solid record, and while “That’s How I Feel” comes close, overall the album lacks these anchor “wow” moments.

For all that, the record is still powerful, and clocking in at a very minimal 32 minutes, it had me eagerly going back to the start multiple times to start the journey over again.

Best tracks: That’s How I Feel, All I Ever Wanted, Like I Do, Go On

CD Odyssey Disc 947: Dori Freeman

For the second straight review the CD Odyssey sends us into the realm of country, this time for one of the best albums of 2016.

Disc 947 is….Dori Freeman (Self Titled)

Artist: Dori Freeman

Year of Release: 2016

What’s up with the Cover? No frills, just an honest young woman inviting you into her living room for a few songs.

How I Came To Know It: I read an article about Dori Freeman in American Songwriter magazine and decided to check her out. I liked what I heard so I sought out her album. It wasn’t easy to find, so I resorted to online purchasing. Sorry, local record stores; even I fall down sometimes.

How It Stacks Up:  I only have one Dori Freeman album. I hope she makes many more in the years to come.

Ratings: 5 stars

I’ve got a lot of music in my collection, and within that collection more than a few beautiful female voices. Dori Freeman is one of the best. She may only just be starting out but she is every bit as inspiring to listen to as Emmylou Harris, Patsy Cline or Capercaillie’s Karen Matheson. Freeman’s voice is sweet and strong, never straining to hit a note but still hitting every one with an easy power and a tone that was stolen from the angels.

I suspect Freeman could sing equally well in any style, but she’s chosen to sing folk-tinged country songs that are simple, direct and from the heart. Like the album cover implies, this is an artist not afraid to invite you into her private life. Despite this, she yet never makes you feel uncomfortable while sharing her hopes and fears.

Those hopes and fears tend to be tales of broken or unrequited loves, and a woman who still stands unbroken through all of life’s romantic storms. The songs have an easy and lilting flow, and you feel secure in their embrace as Freeman’s powerful instrument sings you a lullaby and assures you that everything is going to be just fine.

Producer Teddy Thompson (a folk singer in his own right) seems to intrinsically understand to keep out of the way and let Freeman’s voice work its magic. Some songs are just acoustic guitar, some have a tasteful piano and some have a little violin. In each case, Freeman’s vocals are front and centre in the mix (as though you could deny them). One song – “Ain’t Nobody” – is entirely a capella and finger snaps, yet as powerful as a full orchestra.

It would be enough just to hear Freeman sing, but equally impressive is that she writes every song on this record. These songs show none of the awkwardness or rough edges common to songwriters early in their career. Each of these songs is a carefully crafted combination of melody and lyric, sometimes resolving at the end and sometimes leaving you wanting more, and intrinsically knowing when to do which.

The style is fundamentally country, but it is clear early on that Freeman isn’t obsessed with genre or definitions. Introspective singer-songwriter folk songs like “You Say” and “Where I Stood” blend seamlessly with seventies throwbacks like “Go On Lovin’” and fifties crooners like “Lullaby”. All the songs have a timeless quality that feel like they’ve been around for decades, and not written in the last year or two by some relatively unknown singer from the tiny town of Galax, Virginia.

On an album loaded with standouts it is pretty hard to pick out favourites, but “Where I Stood” qualifies with its haunting tale of a woman recognizing that her love for her man is one way, and needs to end:

“Whoever said you were breaking the law?

Can you really hurt somebody if nobody saw?

Somehow we’re dreaming and dreaming so deep

When neither of us ever gets any sleep.

“What happened to your dreams, what happened to mine?

Your wastin’ my love and I’m wastin’ my time

I know you’d go back if you could

And you’d leave me standing right there where I stood.”

Ouch. The idea that your lover would have left you there if they could only go back. At the altar? On the day they approached and said hello? It isn’t clear but all the options are devastating.

I’ve rarely experienced such oft-traveled roads sound so fresh and poignant as Freeman’s exploration of these themes. The songs underscore the childlike innocence we have when we love, and how careless and foolish it can make us, even as it inspires us and fills us with awe.

The whole record is over in a crisp 10 songs and 33 minutes, and left me hungry for more. If you have the same experience, just go back and listen to it a few more times; it only gets better.

This morning I read the AV Club’s top 20 albums of 2016. There were a couple of records I was glad to see included (Leonard Cohen, Angel Olsen), but I mostly found myself scoffing at the choices. Not a single vote for Dori Freeman’s masterful creation. This is not only one of the best records of 2016, it is one of the best records I’ve heard.

Best tracks: all tracks