Laurie Freelove
Country of origin:
U.S.
Type of music generally:
evocative/eclectic alternative pop/folk
Status:
Most recent recording, Songs From The Nineline, a live compilation, 1996. A new album, The Invisible Invisible is in the works and is available as a demo.
See also:
A Laurie Freelove Page.The Ectophiles' Guide entry for Two Nice Girls, a band Laurie Freelove was a member of before going solo.
Comparisons:
Her voice has rough qualities like Marianne Faithfull's or Toni Childs'. Musically she's hard to pinpoint. (Neile)
Covers/own material:
Own, occasional covers
General comments:
She's a great songwriter and has a lovely, unusual, expressive, and challenging voice. (Neile)
Recommended first album:
Either Songs From The Nineline or Smells Like Truth. (Neile)
Recordings:
- Smells Like Truth
- "Heaven on Earth" (single)
- Songs From The Nineline
- The Invisible Invisible (demo cd)
- Singles Sketches: Demo II (demo single)
Smells Like Truth
Release info:
1991--Chrysalis/Ensign--F2 21849
Availability:
album is deleted, but can be found used
Ecto priority:
Must have if the idea of alternative folk sounds good to you (Neile)
Group members:
Laurie Freelove--acoustic guitar, waterphone, vocals
Guest artists:
Paul Taylor--didjeridoo, bull-roarer
Paul Pearcy--percussion, drums
Roland Denny--upright bass
Phil Stereopulos--electric bass, stick bass
Roy Dodds--stick bass percussion, percussion, sound effects
Leah Rummel--keyboards, flute
Chris Searles--percussion, drums
Jeff Jackson--additional vocals
Laura Love--additional vocals
Donny Silverman--WX7 Midi wind controller, Korg MI synthesizer, additional voice, bass clarinet
Greg Harewood--electric bass
Mark Taylor--keyboards
Henry Kadima--electric bass
Boo Hewerdine--electric guitar, voice, Hammond organ, additional vocals
Eddi Reader--additional vocals, voice
The East Side Flash--additional acoustic guitar
James Fenner--percussion
Produced by:
Laurie Freelove with Boo Hewerdine, Chris Birkett, and Kevin Moloney
Comments:
An awesome piece of work. (meth@smoe.org)Laurie Freelove has challenging songs and a rough, intriguing voice. The sound is really wonderfully put together on this album. There are two unforgettable songs: "Smells Like Truth" and "Heaven on Earth" and the rest of the album is very close to being as incredible. (Neile)
This is just as I had expected it to be from reviews on ecto--Peter Gabriel & Kate Bush's love child. (spike45@sos.sos.net)
Odd, grunge meets world, fun, different! (cyo@landoftheblind.com)
A classic! (stjarnell@yahoo.com)
"Heaven On Earth" single
Release info:
1991--Chrysalis ensign--F2 23785
Availability:
Hard to find
Ecto priority:
High for Laurie Freelove fans.
Comments:
Contains 3 versions of "Heaven On Earth" ("Radio Remix," "Freelove On Earth Part 1," and "Radio Edit/LP Version") as well as "Looka" a song available nowhere else, her cover of "Dear Prudence," which is luckily now more widely available on Songs From The Nineline. (Neile)
Songs From The Nineline
Release info:
1996--Nineline Productions, 2111 Dickson D. Suite 24, Austin, TX 78704, U.S.A., 512-447-6644--6909 CD
Availability:
Mail Order from label
Ecto priority:
highly recommended (Neile)
Group members:
Laurie Freelove--vocals, guitar, rainstick
Guest artists:
Shane Madden--violin
Konrad Meisner--percussion
Nick Junga--didgeridoo
Mark Williams--fretless bass
Patrice Sullivan--back up vocals, hand percussion
Gemma Cochran--supporting vocals & hand percussion
Donny Silverman--wind synthsizer
Chris Searles--talking drum
Comments:
This is a lovely collection of her live versions of older and new songs. The songs grow richer the more you listen to the album. I highly recommend it. (Neile)This is a collection of live broadcasts done at radio stations and elsewhere around Austin Texas and Dutch Public Radio. The songs, the lyrics, the arrangements are impeccable, and Laurie's voice is truly astounding. This is the type of music that for me demands my full attention, with no distractions, a very clear and empty mind. It's downright addictive, the more you listen, the more pleasurable it becomes, and you find yourself looking at the CD pile and always reaching for Songs From The Nineline. The first cut "The Nineline" is one of those songs that I can't get out of my head and will probably play about 9000 times or until my CD wears out. Every cut is really a treasure. (jsutton@rahul.net)
Songs From the Nineline was a complete surprise. Very different from Smells Like Truth...the Peter Gabriel & Kate Bush comparisons don't quite fit here. I couldn't agree more with jsutton@rahul.net about the song "The Nineline". At the time I read his comments the song was running through my head also. It's not the only great song though...the 2nd track ("No Fire") is just as good & running through my head as I type.
Some music passes through and out while some grows on you and gets better and better with time. At first I didn't like Laurie's cover of "Dear Prudence". Well it has grown on me. A Beatles song is not easy to cover. At the time I first heard the song, I specifically didn't care for the synth imitating a tabla. It was very irritating to me, but since then I've grown to love Laurie's voice and notice some small details about the way she sings that didn't jump out at me when first listening. In other words I love the song now.
The CD is all live from various radio broadcasts and the sound is just as good as any studio album. Laurie's got a wonderful singer (Gemma Cochran) doing backup vocals and harmony. I'm a sucker for moon imagery. "Meet me on the moon at midnight" (from "The Nineline"). (spike45@sos.sos.net)
The Invisible Invisible
Release info:
Not yet widely released; currently available only as a CD-R from the MonsterBit Laurie Freelove page; 1997--Nine Line Productions.
Produced by:
Mitch Watkins, Claude McCann II & Laurie Freelove
Comments:
When I heard that the CD-R of this album was available I just had to have it. I was lucky enough to get a demo tape of this from Laurie Freelove about a year ago, and I loved it on first hearing. This is truly a stunning album, and it deserves a wide release. Those of you who like "9line" and "The Invisible Invisible" on Songs From The Nineline are going to be blown away by the rich studio versions. There are some other great songs on here, too: an interesting, dancey "Girl Friend", the irresistible "Damn Fool", etc., etc. I love the dance tunes here, and as always I love Laurie Freelove's vocals and her overall sense of how to make a song. Brilliant! (Neile)This is a limited edition release put out on CDR and includes some new material as well as studio versions of some of the songs that were released on Songs From The Nine Line and other previous Laurie albums. Songs From The Nine Line was one of my 1996 top ten, and this is like a fresh look at the spirit of that work with a new slant on the songs that made it so wonderful and some new gems to ponder as well. (jsutton@rahul.net)
Singles Sketches: Demo II
Release info:
Not yet widely released; currently available only as a CD-R from the MonsterBit Laurie Freelove page; 1999--Nine Line Productions
Produced by:
Shane O'Madden
Comments:
Three great Laurie Freelove songs. My preferences here are the last two, "O Boy" and "No Fire"--they seem more distinctive than "Give It Away". These promise much more wonderful music from Laurie Freelove. (Neile)
Further info:
Nineline Productions, 2111 Dickson Dr. Suite 24, Austin, TX 78704, U.S.A., 512-447-6644
