''Free Life'' is the solo debut album by Dan Wilson, the frontman of the rock band

Semisonic Semisonic is an American rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1995, consisting of Dan Wilson (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), John Munson (bass, keyboards, backing vocals, guitar), and Jacob Slichter (drums, percussion, keyboards, ...

. It was released on October 16, 2007 by American Recordings. Produced with

Rick Rubin Frederick Jay Rubin (; born March 10, 1963) is an American record producer. He is the co-founder (alongside Russell Simmons) of Def Jam Recordings, founder of American Recordings, and former co-president of Columbia Records. Rubin helped popula ...

, ''Free Life'' was recorded in Minneapolis and Los Angeles and includes performances by

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, Sheryl Crow,

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, and a number of Minneapolis-based musicians including multi-instrumentalist and frequent Semisonic sideman Ken Chastain, Eric Fawcett, John Hermanson, Joanna James,

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, Steve Rhoem, Joe Savage, as well as Wilson's Semisonic bandmates

John Munson John Munson (born December 13, 1966) is an American musician who is best known as the bass player for Semisonic. He was also a member of Trip Shakespeare during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Trip Shakespeare Matt Wilson, lead vocalist of Tri ...

and

Jacob Slichter Jacob Slichter (born Jacob Huber Slichter, April 5, 1961) is an American musician. He is best known for being the drummer for the rock band Semisonic. Early life Slichter, the son of physicist Charles Slichter, was born in Boston, Massachu ...

. ''Free Life'' helped establish Wilson's reputation as a songwriter, with ''

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'' writing, "the star of the show here is Wilson's remarkable instinct for creating gorgeous songs, and his unabashed, obvious joy in doing so. For anyone worried that songcraft is an endangered species, ''Free Life'' should ease those fears."

Track listing

#"All Kinds" – 4:05 #"Free Life" – 4:54 #"Breathless" – 3:53 #"Baby Doll" – 3:58 #"Come Home Angel" – 5:19 #"Sugar" – 4:21 #"Cry" – 4:39 #"Golden Girl" – 3:54 #"Against History" – 4:27 #"Honey Please" – 4:07 #"She Can't Help Me Now" – 3:16 #"Hand on My Heart" – 4:23 #"Easy Silence" – 4:14

References

2007 albums American Recordings (record label) albums Albums produced by Dan Wilson (musician) {{2007-rock-album-stub