Have you ever thought "I wish The Modern Lovers and Wilco could have teamed up?" That MJ Lenderman and Geese could be combined into some kind of half-man, half-bird rock monster. No? Just me?
Well if you ever did, someone is coming close. That someone is Greg Freeman, and his new record All Set the Bone is a fantastic reminder that rock is still cooking with matches.
Freeman has been labeled as more of an alternative country artist, but personally I'd say that's a bit misleading. His guitars are too aggressive (in a good way) and his vocal is unique. While it might not appeal to everyone, combined with what he's singing about it's pretty hard not to pay attention. It doesn't scream alt country, but it definitely could appeal to fans of the genre.
Let's get into All Set the Bone.
This is a lengthy record, clocking in at an hour and six minutes, but it never feels too long. Starting things off is "Cahokia," which is a solid rock song that finds Freeman stating "Time to join the world you f*cked up." As an opening line to the record, you get the vibe that Freeman isn't the happiest with the way things are. Just check out this line:
"If you depend on what makes you sick /
It's designed to make you a hypocrite /
Like me"
That's the kind of line that makes you think. This record is full of them.
"Culture" was a highlight of the record for me. It's a dark track that questions what we've become in the digital age, and it brings up bigger questions as well. When it got to the climax I was left feeling introspective. For a songwriter to pull that off is a big win in my book.
"Indu" is the radio single, and honestly it's my least favorite track on the album. I don't dislike it, but in the context of the record it seems lighthearted and just didn't grab me as much as the other tracks. I do think this one is the most Modern Lovers slash Wilco sound though, and probably works well as an introduction to Freeman. It also sparked my initial interest to listen to the whole record. And I love the '70s guitar.
"Hail Mary" is a track that might lose a lot of listeners because the first minute and a half is very subtle ambient noise. But then, at the minute and half mark it explodes into a raging rocker that can best be described as a rock explosion. It has one of my favorite lines on the album as well:
"Staring at the TV set /
Every man that’s made a bet /
Says something or other to his kid /
About the underdog’s will to live"
"Marooned" might be the wildest journey on All Set the Bone. This track goes on a sonic pilgrimage to rock mecca. The simple acoustic guitar (that for one quick second sounds like Everlast's "What it's Like") eventually brings in violins and a gunfire guitar assault that would make At the Drive-In take notice. But right when you think it might be too much, Freeman reels it all in and enters Flaming Lips territory. Like I said this track is a journey.
If I had to critique one aspect of All Set the Bone, it's that some of the songs run a little long, but hey, they're good songs, so that's not the worst critique. Freeman is a unique voice in the indie rock landscape right now, and is truly a gifted songwriter.
If you're looking for rock music with some bite to it that has something to say, give All Set the Bone a listen.