2008 Woodie Awards
CD Review: Free Somehow
3 stars
Vanessa White
Issue date: 2/22/08 Section: FUSE
Originally published: 2/21/08 at 9:04 PM EST
Last update: 2/21/08 at 9:03 PM EST
Picture yourself rolling down the interstate on a Harley Davidson.
You are riding rebel-style - no helmet and the only sleeves visible are the two inked onto both arms.
You switch lanes to maneuver around vehicles, without glancing to your left or right, somehow making a statement that by a look, you might just kill.
Widespread Panic is the perfect theme music for such a scene.
The first song, "Boom Boom Boom," is high-energy, giving the listener an idea of exactly what to expect throughout the album. The song consists of about a 30-60 second guitar solo about three-quarters of the way into the track, perfect for those of you obsessed with Guitar Hero. It also features clear vocals, and thought provoking subject matter.
The second cut, "Walk on the Flood," sounds about the same as the first. The guitar solo at the end is the most electrifying on the entire album.
"Angels on High," the third track, is a beautiful one with powerful insight into the regurgitation of souls.
Track four, "Three Candles," is not too wordy. In the chorus, the artists go so far as to use such imagery as, "Three candles to light the sea/ Come together rope, wood, and steel/ Out of body outside of time/ driftwood dancers-splinters of the mind."
On the fifth cut, "Tickle the Truth," the listener is introduced to a set of stories - or one big, long one, depending on how it is engaged. There is a line that goes, "Driftin' in a dreamland/ Loose in the bed/ The body's ups and downs/ Are just food for the head." Again, the listener is exposed to some intense contemplation.
The sixth song, "Free Somehow," is noticeably slower than the previous five. The title is suiting, freeing the listener from the high energy experienced earlier.
"Flicker" is the seventh track. As expected, there is no room for an idle mind with these words, "Just because you feel it/ doesn't mean it's real/…wishin' it was over doesn't make it done/…Just because we're laughing doesn't mean that we don't care."
You are riding rebel-style - no helmet and the only sleeves visible are the two inked onto both arms.
You switch lanes to maneuver around vehicles, without glancing to your left or right, somehow making a statement that by a look, you might just kill.
Widespread Panic is the perfect theme music for such a scene.
The first song, "Boom Boom Boom," is high-energy, giving the listener an idea of exactly what to expect throughout the album. The song consists of about a 30-60 second guitar solo about three-quarters of the way into the track, perfect for those of you obsessed with Guitar Hero. It also features clear vocals, and thought provoking subject matter.
The second cut, "Walk on the Flood," sounds about the same as the first. The guitar solo at the end is the most electrifying on the entire album.
"Angels on High," the third track, is a beautiful one with powerful insight into the regurgitation of souls.
Track four, "Three Candles," is not too wordy. In the chorus, the artists go so far as to use such imagery as, "Three candles to light the sea/ Come together rope, wood, and steel/ Out of body outside of time/ driftwood dancers-splinters of the mind."
On the fifth cut, "Tickle the Truth," the listener is introduced to a set of stories - or one big, long one, depending on how it is engaged. There is a line that goes, "Driftin' in a dreamland/ Loose in the bed/ The body's ups and downs/ Are just food for the head." Again, the listener is exposed to some intense contemplation.
The sixth song, "Free Somehow," is noticeably slower than the previous five. The title is suiting, freeing the listener from the high energy experienced earlier.
"Flicker" is the seventh track. As expected, there is no room for an idle mind with these words, "Just because you feel it/ doesn't mean it's real/…wishin' it was over doesn't make it done/…Just because we're laughing doesn't mean that we don't care."
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