''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
Tracy Bonham
Tracy Bonham (born March 16, 1967) is an American alternative rock musician, best known for her 1996 single "Mother Mother".
Raised in Eugene, Oregon, Bonham is a classically trained violinist and pianist, and is also a self-taught guitarist. S ...
,
Sheryl Crow,
Jason Lader
Jason Lader is an American record producer, audio engineer, and mixer from New York. He is also known for playing bass guitar, keyboards, piano, guitar, and as a programmer. He was a member of the band Furslide, and has since worked with Howard ...
,
Gary Louris
Gary Louris (born March 10, 1955) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter of alternative country and pop music. He was a founding member of the Minneapolis-based band the Jayhawks and their principal songwriter and vocalist after the ...
,
Natalie Maines
Natalie Louise Maines (born October 14, 1974) is an American singer. She is the lead vocalist for the all-female country band The Chicks.
In 1995, after leaving Berklee College of Music, Maines was recruited by the Dixie Chicks to replace their ...
,
Benmont Tench
Benjamin Montmorency "Benmont" Tench III (born September 7, 1953) is an American musician and singer, and a founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
Early years
Tench was born in Gainesville, Florida, the second child of Benjamin ...
,
Jonny Polonsky
Jonny Polonsky (born July 10, 1973) is an American rock guitarist, singer, multi-instrumentalist and record producer.
Career
Born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in suburban Wilmette, Illinois, Polonsky began writing, recording and self-rel ...
, and a number of Minneapolis-based musicians including multi-instrumentalist and frequent Semisonic sideman
Ken Chastain, Eric Fawcett, John Hermanson, Joanna James,
Mason Jennings
Mason Jennings is an American folk-pop singer-songwriter.
Biography
Born in Hawaii, Jennings moved with his family to Pittsburgh at an early age. Jennings learned to play guitar at the age of 13, when he began writing songs. Jennings later dr ...
, 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 ''
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
'' 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)
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