Free Rein Rebelution
Released in 2018 as a joint venture between the band's own 87 Music imprint and Easy Star, Rebelution's FREE REIN is 12-track collection that represents a deliberate step forward in the group's creative evolution. Expanding on the sound that has made them one of the hardest-working touring acts in the country, the band used these studio sessions to push their sonic boundaries. The resulting album highlights their evocative songwriting and sharp musicianship, capturing a group fully confident in their artistic direction.
While their tightly wound rhythmic foundation remains intact, FREE REIN purposefully explores an array of complementary musical styles. Listeners will find distinct undercurrents of R&B, rock, jazz, and folk woven throughout the record. To help achieve this multifaceted sound, Rebelution collaborated with acclaimed Jamaican producers Don Corleon (who produced the track "Rise On Top") and Winta James (who teamed up with the band for "Settle Down Easy" and "City Life"). These external partnerships bring a nuanced production quality to the album, complementing self-produced standouts like the acoustic-driven "Healing."
Beyond the intricate arrangements, the album balances its complex instrumentation with thoughtful, timely lyrical commentary. The songwriting navigates introspective themes and broader social reflections, showcasing frontman Eric Rachmany's maturing narrative voice. This deliberate lyricism translates seamlessly from the studio to the stage, providing compelling, dynamic material for a band known for their relentless national touring schedule and dedicated fanbase.
FREE REIN serves as a crucial milestone in Rebelution's continuing legacy with Easy Star Records, building seamlessly upon the success of our earlier joint releases. Following our initial collaboration on 2014's COUNT ME IN, the group steadily pushed their creative limits with the Grammy-nominated FALLING INTO PLACE and the comprehensive LIVE AT RED ROCKS in 2016. The bold structural and melodic exploration found on FREE REIN not only showcased their growth as arrangers, but also set the stage for their subsequent Easy Star projects, charting a direct path to the atmospheric DUB COLLECTION (2020) and the meticulously crafted IN THE MOMENT (2021).
