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Seth Lakeman - Freedom FieldsBuy Seth Lakeman - Freedom Fields: New Version from HMV.co.uk as part of our promotion. Free delivery and usually despatched in 24 hours.
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Average User Rating: 80% (27 Reviews) | |
| 5 / 5 | Original, brilliant music
Jemima Williams (West Wales,UK) - 17 August 2006 If ever there was an artist capable of destroying long time stereotypes and preconceptions of folk music as a stale and dated genre, Seth Lakeman is it. Transcending genres, you can't help but admire this album for it's wonderfully written songs performed by a group of musicians who really know their stuff. Each track is completely different the one before it, and in fact, from any other songs out there, folk our otherwise. Seth's fiddle and tenor guitar playing has a major part in the originality of the songs, but it's his voice that really makes them stand out. This re-released album contains the lovely remixed versions of `Lady of the Sea' and `White Hare'. It would be easy to ruin a great song like `Lady of the Sea' by overproducing it, but this can certainly not be said about this fantastic version. Keeping all the vitality and freshness of the original, this version has a great beat, harmonies and bass that only adds to the sound, transforming it from `sweet' to `epic'. Although based on legends and stories from the West Country, specifically Dartmoor, Seth Lakeman and his band play each song as though it is contemporary tale of love, loss, or tragedy, and each feels as relevant to life as if it were based on something that happened yesterday. From sweet ballads like `King and Country' to the `blokey folk' songs about soldiers and miners (`The Colliers' and `The Riflemen of War'), there's not a single track on this album that I haven't had on constant repeat for days at a time. If you're tired of soulless songs played by people who don't know the first thing about music, buy this album: I can guarantee you won't have heard anything more honest and original than `Freedom Fields' - unless it's Seth Lakeman's previous album, `Kitty Jay'.... Read Full Review » |
| 5 / 5 | It's folk, Jim, but.....
Matthew W. Davis "Not Bruce Willis" (Lausanne, Switzerland) - 25 September 2006 Bought this CD after hearing "Setting of the Sun" on the BBC Folk Awards 2006 compliation and haven't regretted it. It's definitely a folk album: "Setting of the Sun" is one of those ridiculous folk tales about a young man who shoots his true love, mistaking her (and her white apron) for a swan; "1643" is a rousing account of a key battle in the English civil war; "Lady of the Sea" has all the honest, self-unconcious, sweeping emotion (for me) only folk songs can convey. However, rythmically, melodically, lyrically, and in his voice, it somehow manages to bridge the gap between folk and contemporary, indie guitar music. "The Final Lot" sounds like acoustic punk. It's pure pathos, of course: love, loss, regret, pride, courage are all to be found. It's an album to come back to over and over again. Try it. You don't have to be into Morris Dancing to like English folk music....... Read Full Review » |
| 4 / 5 | More songs about the legends of Devon
Greg Farefield-Rose (Hertfordshire United Kingdom) - 28 June 2006 Mostly written and recorded around the time that his previous album Kitty Jay was nominated of the Mercury Music Prize, Freedom Fields finds young folk-indie singer Seth Lakeman continuing with self-penned and traditional songs inspired by the legends and stories of Dartmoor. The new album has more guitar and less of Seth's exhilarating violin than Kitty Jay though the songs are more realised and better put together. Violin features on less than half of the tracks with the stirring fiddle and percussion-led Lady Of The Sea being a particular highlight. The more guitar-based tunes usually feature prominent tenor guitar by Seth backed by conventional acoustic guitar from his brother Sean and other members of Seth's excellent touring band. The four-string tenor guitar has an unusual tuning giving it a sound reminiscent of some of Jimmy Page's acoustic playing with Led Zeppelin. This is particular apparent in the driving chordal riff of opening track The Charmer. The greater emphasis on guitar also gives Freedom Fields a more poppy sound than its predecessor with the "hold your fire" refrain on The Colliers being superbly or annoyingly catchy depending on your politics... Like Kitty Jay, much of FF was recorded in Seth's kitchen which, coupled with the excellent minimal arrangements, help to give the album a warm, intimate sound. Similar but with some differences, it's difficult to say which of the two albums is better with your first Lakeman purchase possibly being determined by whether you prefer folk violin or guitar. It will be interesting to see how Seth's sound changes now that he has signed to a major label of sorts and will be encouraged into working at bigger studios and presumably releasing more commercial material. Some change is inevitable but hopefully he will retain his folk values and continue to make excellent albums like Freedom Fields. ... Read Full Review » |
| 4 / 5 | Highly enjoyable, original and addictive music!
Mattie Polly B. "mandolin maniac@15" (Yorkshire, England) - 28 September 2006 I cannot hesitate to wholly recommend this album to anyone who is considering it - I have played it nearly every day since I bought it. Lakeman's vocals are heartfelt and real, and although the musicianship on the album is not particuarly stand-out, the arrangements and the ways in which the instruments are used is excellent - a particularly striking example of this is on 'The Colliers' - possibly my favourite track, along with 'The Charmer'. I have had comments from nearly all of my friends though, that the album is quite 'samey' after a while. Although I am at present still completely taken in by how much I am enjoying it, I think I may eventually become slightly bored by it, as there is not an awful lot going on in the songs, and one could argue that they are slightly formulaic. However, I argue that Lakeman's sound, however 'samey', is original, fresh and exciting, and I have already had my money's-worth a hundred times over. Anyone who is hesitating - hit 'add to cart' and you will not be disappointed. ... Read Full Review » |
| 5 / 5 | An awesome album - haunting and imaginative all the way through!
Tim Judson - 29 September 2006 I bought the first released version of Freedom fields when it came out and loved it. Seth Lakeman manages to mix the historical importance of old stories with the energy and feeling of contemporary music, whilst still having his roots deep in English folk music. I then found out he had released it again after some more work which I was a bit sceptical about (buy a new album for just a couple more songs) but it was worth it. I love the new version of White Hare (no offence to banjos) and I look forward to getting the next one. Can't wait to see him in Wolverhampton!... Read Full Review » |
RRP
£17.63
Release Date
13 November 2006
Price Range
£5.84 - £9.43