Home Free ā Austin Brown, Rob Lundquist, Adam Rupp, Tim Foust and Adam Chance ā is an a cappella singing group that competed in and won the fourth season of NBCās āThe Sing-Offā in 2013. Since then, the group has been prolific releasing six studio albums since their win and touring non-stop, with their music taking them around the globe. Following on from their holiday collection āWarmest Winterā, released in 2020, the group is releasing new album āLand of the Freeā in time for Memorial Day.
āLand of the Freeā is a collection of patriotic covers that celebrates the red, white and blue along with one original song. At a time when America (and to be honest, much of the world) seems very divided, Home Free is attempting to bring back a little harmony with their unique take on these familiar and much-loved songs. The opener is a cover of the recent Tyler Hubbard and Tim McGraw song āUndividedā, which sounds much better in the hands of Home Free. Stripped of the heavy-handed production of the original, the songās sentiment shines brighter and itās proof of just how capable and talented the group is.
Lee Greenwood and The United States Air Force Band appear on a new version of Greenwoodās āGod Bless the U.S.A.ā, which is surprisingly emotional, while the legend that is Don McLean puts his stamp of approval on the groupās version of āAmerican Pieā by appearing on it himself. Iāve always thought āAmerican Pieā is a song that can never be covered but Home Free has convinced me otherwise.
The highlight on the record for me is āTravelinā Soldierā, a cover of The Chicksā song from their 2002 album āHomeā. The group has spun the lyrics to reverse the gender roles of the original song. Home Freeās tight harmonies sound fantastic and itās so wonderful to hear this song get a new lease of life.
Elsewhere on the record Jeffrey East teams up with Home Free on his song āPeopleā, and in a rare move the song includes an acoustic guitar rather than just the groupās voices. Itās nice to hear the group with some accompaniment as they donāt do that very often. Home Free also put their spin on the uptempo feel-good āOnly In Americaā, originally recorded by Brooks & Dunn, and are brave enough to tackle Dire Straitsā mighty āBrothers In Armsā, which is one of the finest showcases of their voices on the album.
āLand of the Freeā will be lapped up by Home Freeās fans the Home Fries, and the album continues to move the group forward in their own lane. No one else is out there doing what theyāre doing, at the level theyāre doing it, and with the huge support they have across the globe, itās going to be another undeniable success for the band. Whatās so special about Home Free is that they can take familiar songs and reinvent them, and itās safe to say patriotism has never sounded so harmonious.
Track listing: 1. Undivided 2. Only In America 3. God Bless the U.S.A. 4. Brothers in Arms 5. America (My Country, āTis of Thee) 6. Travelinā Soldier 7. The Land of the Free 8. American Pie 9. People 10. Born in the U.S.A. Record label: Home Free Records Release date: 25th June 2021 Buy āLand of the Freeā now
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