It has taken me a good long while to write the review for Charlie Freeman’s album Reason To Live. I received it in the mail, all the way from London, nearly two weeks ago. I listened to it several times before attempting to review it, and then I sat right here in my smoky apartment, computer screen staring blankly at me, and popped Reason To Live into my walkman with the intention of writing the review, but I couldn’t. I tried this several times and I failed miserably each time. I didn’t even get one sentence down on my previous attempts, so I think I’m ahead of the game this time. And do you want to know the reason I tried to write this review several times and couldn’t? It’s because I just wanted to listen. I did not want to think about what I was hearing. I did not want to analyze it. I simply wanted to enjoy it as a fan. But I am a reviewer, even if I have also become a fan, so now I am listening to the album yet again, and I think this time I will actually be able to write the review.
One of the reasons that I had a hard time getting this review started is the first track, which is also the album’s title track. I got stuck on this song and spent a full day listening to ONLY this song. It is my personal opinion that everyone, EVERYONE, should listen to this song. If everyone listened to this song and took the lyrics to heart, we would all be a lot happier. It is truly an inspirational song with an extremely optimistic and positive message. I’d like to simply put the lyrics here and let them speak for themselves, but that’s not what a review is about, is it? I will, however, quote my favorite part of the song “Reason To Live.” It’s when Charlie sings, “Go your way, whatever they may say, It’s your life and now, my friend, there’s no need to pretend, pretend.” This is a great song because it’s about doing what we want to do, about finding the things that makes us happy and following our hearts. I think it was a very good choice to make this the title track.
The second song “Happy,” starts off with a mellow little groove that vaguely reminds me of Spanish music with maracas and bongo drums and flamenco guitar hooks. It’s a very well crafted song musically. Charlie’s lyrics are rather uplifting as well, with him telling us that he’s “So happy today, the pain has gone away. I’m so happy today, come, come what may…” And that’s just the chorus. The rest of the song contains even more optimistic and positive food for thought, and these thought provoking lyrics make me feel like I need to get off my arse and do something with my life. It’s a very motivational song about making the best of things, accepting what cannot be changed, moving on and trying to be happy, which is something that everyone should and could do, if they tried.
The next track “Prisoner,” is a rather melancholy tune that starts off with Charlie asking, “Do you want to know me, darling, do you even care?” This line, in conjunction with the title of the track, immediately brings to mind painful days of loving someone wholly and completely, but also knowing that I’m giving my love in vain and being held a prisoner by my own feelings, which we can’t always help. It is a painful place to be, but Charlie’s words, combined with the superior musicianship in this song, make it seem perhaps not AS painful as it once was. The song closes on the line, “Living with you ain’t easy, living without you is…… the same.” I think that perfectly sums up the conundrum of so many relationships.
After the bittersweet pain that “Prisoner” made me feel, it was refreshing to be taken into the song “High On Life.” This is a great song and the placement of it on the album is genius. I just went from being on the verge of tears to enjoying the sun in Jamaica. There is certainly an island feel to this one and it’s a dancing song, no doubt. There’s nothing overly complicated about “High On Life”. It’s simply a song about feeling fine, having a good day, and being high on life. We all have those days sometimes. Those happy, giddy days when everything is perfect and smiles come easy and laughter is natural and free. Charlie captures that perfectly in this song and the upbeat rhythm and melody will be sure to get the feet tapping.
“Fool” starts off with some attention grabbing guitar work and then Charlie’s melodic voice crooning to us about the potential demise of a relationship. He is, in essence, telling someone to take a hike. And hey, we’ve all been there before, haven’t we? Second guessing our choice to end a relationship, being unhappy in a situation that is unhealthy, and ultimately having to walk away from it all. And even though it’s probably the right choice, that doesn’t make the hurt any less painful. The knowledge that we are doing what needs to be done seldom brings much comfort, and the comfort that it does bring seems cheap and cold. Once again, Charlie has put into words something that we can all relate to.
In the song “Wild Horse,” I am reminded of David Gray, not so much because of the melody of the song, but more so because of Charlie’s voice. The resemblance is remarkable. “Wild Horse” is a slow, contemplative song with more stellar guitar work and seamless engineering. The sound of this song is smooth and it flows very well. As for the actual song itself, Charlie’s lyrics are once more universal and easy to relate to, regardless of age, nationality, profession, or position. Charlie tells us “Don’t be scared, there’s no need to suffer anymore, Just get on the wild horse, break the walls down, feel free to live your life.” Lyrics like that clearly speak for themselves.
“Smile” is vaguely Beatle-esque in the John Lennon way and it’s pretty much a feel good song. I especially like the horns in this one and the mellow smooth flow of the guitar. Charlie’s voice sounds a bit husky while he sings this tune and his British accent is more pronounced in this song than it is in any of the ones I’ve listened to so far. I found myself singing along to “Smile” after listening to it a few times, and that’s what I like. I like to be able to sing along to a song without having to know it inside and out. It is also brimming with optimism and good vibes. “Smile” is a great song to listen to at any time of the day, regardless of one’s mood or disposition. It will surely make everything seem a little brighter.
The track “Take It All the Way” is probably my least favorite so far, but only because it’s a touch slower paced than the rest and I tend to like a faster beat and rhythm. The musicianship is stellar, however, and I think because the tempo of this song is a bit slower, the listener can focus more on the instruments and the craftsmanship of the production and engineering, which is remarkable. The sound is clear and well balanced and each instrument stands out without being overly obvious. The entire album is extremely well produced, but I think it is very apparent in this song in particular that there are a plethora of instruments and layers and they all come together smoothly.
“Stuntman” begins with only a soft acoustic guitar and Charlie singing to us about the Stuntman. Trail blazin’ amazin’ dream chasin’ risk takin’…… I think this song shows the quality of Charlie’s voice extremely well and it highlights the dreams and desires of people who are willing to take a chance, and possibly get mangled in the process, but unafraid to take that chance nonetheless. “Stuntman” is more than just a song, however; it’s a story as well. Charlie takes us through the Stuntman’s dreams and successes… And then his inevitable failure and demise… And then the Stuntman’s return and redemption. What a great story with a great message.
The beginning of “Time Has Come” makes me thing immediately of Lindsey Buckingham’s guitar work, which is some of the most under-rated guitar work in the history of music. This song clearly shows us that Charlie is a master of the guitar and “Time Has Come” has more of a rock feel to it than any other song on the album. This song shows another side of Charlie Freeman that we didn’t know was there. It’s edgy and a bit gritty and makes me think of the old American West when outlaws WERE the law. I can see a painted desert with a cowboy silhouetted against the setting sun and this song playing in the background. It is very fitting, at least in my mind. In addition to the extraordinary guitar work, “Time Has Come” also has some very nice drum technique on it as well and it’s all around an excellent show of the diversity of Charlie Freeman and the other musicians who are playing with him. Excellent.
“Dangerous Livin’” has a slight bluesy feel to it. Just slightly, but I could most certainly feel a definite bluesy rhythm to this one. While listening to this song, I found myself swaying ever so discreetly and feeling like I could be listening to this song in a smoky cocktail lounge full of people from every walk of life. I think this song transcends the boundaries of pop, rock, alternative, and blues. It is not easy to put this song (or ANY Charlie Freeman song) into a specific category. There is a touch of everything in “Dangerous Livin’” and this, once more, proves that Charlie is a rather diverse artist who can touch the lives of many different people with many different tastes in music. The lyrics are very good as well. Dangerous Livin’ is about being caught in lies and being in denial. Once we lose our honesty and our ability to look at ourselves candidly, we are indeed living dangerously.
The final track of the album is “Dream On” and it is a great closer. Charlie ends his album on a wonderfully positive note with this sweet love song. I really like when Charlie takes his singing voice down to a speaking voice as he tells us “I believe we can do anything. I believe in us. And I believe our dreams will come true. And I believe in me and you.” Those are some powerful words. Once again, Charlie Freeman has made me feel good with his music with the track “Dream On,” and as I listen to the final track of the album, I have the idea in my mind that anything is possible and that I can do whatever I want. It is a great feeling.
It was an absolute pleasure for me to listen to this album. Each time I listen to it, I hear something new or different that I hadn’t heard the time before. The lyrics are optimistic and positive, the musicianship is extraordinary, and the production and engineering is alarmingly close to perfect. I usually try to give some constructive criticism in my reviews, but there is not much that I can criticize, constructively or otherwise, with this album. Not only is the music itself wonderful, but the fact that it can reach so many different people with so many diverse backgrounds and lives and places is fascinating. Charlie Freeman has a lot to say and it would be in everyone’s best interests to listen. I personally feel changed somehow after listening to Reason To Live, and I am very much looking forward to more from Charlie Freeman. When music makes you see life in a better way, it truly is magical.
Reviewed By Rhonda Readence
