Freebass – Its A Beautiful Life [2CD] (2010)
The collaborative project between the triumvirate of celebrated Mancunian bassists Peter Hooky Hook (Joy Division / New Order), Gary Mani Mounfield (The Stone Roses / Primal Scream), Andy Rourkie Rourke (The Smiths) and lead singer Gary Briggs, the Freebass album finally arrives some five years after first being mooted by its bass guitar hero members. Taking time to audition a succession of guest vocalists before appointing the highly talented Gary Briggs (Haven / Strays) as Freebass front man, Gary is considered by many the finest Manchester lead singer of the last decade. The studio album, which brings together the seminal bassists of the seminal Mancunian groups of the last 30 years, originally developed from free-form sessions between Hooky, Mani and Rourkie which provided the open minded, expansive sound of Freebass. Deftly arch guitar work and wonderfully cascading bass lines permeate the album which serves to slyly re-interprets members styles and influences in inventive engaging cocktail of Northern Soul, dub, Krautrock and more, paying homage to the past but not trading off it. Adapts the illustrious members styles and decades of experience into an innovative and dramatic album It s A Beautiful Life varies its mood throughout, throwing in lighter, delicate, more melodic numbers, It s Not Too Late , The Only One s Alone and Secrets And Lies offset against some anthemically brooding, darker-edged tracks, including Plan B , Kill Switch Pt 101 and Lady Violence with rock-ier indie tracks such She Said and The God Machine rounding off the original album.
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