STYLE: Pop RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 137046-20414 LABEL: Independent FORMAT: CD EP ITEMS: 1
Reviewed by Tony Cummings
"You can't judge a book by looking at the cover" to quote an old blues song. And you can't judge a CD by looking at the sleeve. When I first gazed on the cover design for 'Into Your Freedom' (or at least this re-issue - it seems it was originally released in 2003) its simplistic illustration of a flower suggested, to me at least, a children's album. Having, in the past, had my ears assaulted by some dreadful children's releases I put this particular CD at the bottom of my To Be Reviewed pile. And like the J Moss 'Grown Folks Gospel' album (see the review) I've come to regret my fleeting first impression. For this ISN'T a children's project at all but a release by Eli Baron-Trowbridge, a singer/songwriter from Morphett Vale, South Australia, who, at times "has Armchair Circus both as a band name for various guest musicians when I put together projects for my music and also for the business name Armchair Circus Music." 'Into Your Freedom' clearly demonstrates Eli's excellent grasp of songwriting with the bluesy "I Am" showing off her expressive voice although I have to say that track three "She Disappeared" and track four "Going Around Again" are too similar in key and arrangement to work so close together. But before you stop reading this review I must point out that this low budget EP contains a veritable gem. "Your Freedom" tells the story of how we are caught in a state of self-sufficiency ("Through the maze of lies/And out the other side/Beyond all the disguise/You ever hid behind/You got to smash down the walls/And running to your freedom/Take his hand, you'll understand"). The arrangement/production for this track is a perfect example of the less is more principal. Sometimes you don't need layers of instrumentation to bring a song to life. In fact all we've got here are bass, drums and a scratchy rhythm guitar which drives the whole thing. For this track alone 'Into Your Freedom' is worth searching out.
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