Free at Last [Extra tracks, Import, Original recording remastered]

Free | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 11, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Import, Original recording remastered
• Label: Island UK
• ASIN: B00005Y0NU
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #25,698 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #97 in Music > Imports > Classic Rock

Track Listings

1. Catch A Train

2. Soldier Boy

3. Magic Ship

4. Sail On

5. Travellin' Man

6. Little Bit Of Love

7. Guardian Of The Universe

8. Child

9. Goodbye

10. Burnin' (Molten Gold) (Alternative Take)

11. Honky Tonk Women

12. Magic Ship (Alternative Mix)

13. Little Bit Of Love (Alternative Mix)

14. Guardian Of The Universe (Paul Rodgers Solo Version)

15. Child (Early Mix)

Editorial Reviews

UK remastered reissue of 1972 album includes six bonus tracks, 'Burnin' (Molten Gold)' (alternative take), 'Honky Tonk Women', 'Magic Ship' (alternative mix), 'Little Bit Of Love' (alternative mix), 'Guardians Of The Universe' (Paul Rodgers solo version) & 'Child' (early mix). 2002.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is some fine music..., February 13, 2004

By 

Ed Rose "dwwashburn" (toronto, ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Free at Last (Audio CD)

Buy this, it is superb. "Sail On" features some of the finest guitar sounds I've heard in a long, long time. Kossoff, you fool, you were wonderful.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Under-rated & unfairly maligned album from the original Free, October 23, 2004

By 

Hindburn (Church Stretton, Shropshire, England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Free at Last (Audio CD)

This album seems to be almost uniformly criticized in reviews but I would make a case that it holds its own fairly well against the rest of Free's catalogue. True, it is not all up to the consistent high standard of `Free and Water' or `Heartbreaker', but it nevertheless contains much good material and demonstrates clearly the evolving style of the band, away from the relatively simple arrangements of the early albums and towards the keyboard-dominated sound of `Heartbreaker'. This album was the last by the original four members of Free, but though he is not credited I suspect that some of the keyboard work might have been by John `Rabbit' Bundrick, who officially joined the band later, for their final album. Although there are a couple of tracks which some might regard as `filler', the standard of composition and playing is high, with the shorter more concise songs near the start and the later songs being more lengthy, slow and thoughtful. There is a sense of introspection in some of these later songs which matches the mood of much of the `Heartbreaker' album, and this evolution of Free's sound should not be dismissed just because it differs from, for example, stompers like `All right now'. So although the band was undoubtedly suffering from internal disputes and the effects of drug use during the making of this album, it has always deserved a place in the collection of Free aficionados. Don't be put off by the criticisms of the critics, as I was for many years, and give it a hearing with an open mind. (There are also several bonus tracks, although these are mostly alternate mixes and not of major interest)

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Penultimate album by Free has its moments, August 16, 2008

By 

WTDK "If at first the idea is not absurd, the... (My Little Blue Window, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Free at Last (Audio CD)

Free broke up. The band decided to try one last time for the sake of their guitarist Paul Kossoff who was spiraling into drug addiction. Songwriters Andy Fraser and Paul Rodgers decided to put their disagreements and differences aside to try and save their friend.
The big songs here were "Catch A Train" and "Little Bit of Love" but there's other material that holds its own with their best particularly Rodgers' "Guardian of the Universe".

The sound quality could be better. This doesn't sound bad its just that there is No Noise applied which softens the detail of the music and deadens it somewhat. For a newer master (it was remastered in 2001) it doesn't sound bad it could just sound so much better.

Bonus tracks are the reason to get this. We get "Burnin'(Molten Gold)" in an alternate mix that curiously fades in at the beginning. We also get a jam of the band on "Honky Tonk Woman" which really should have been released its such a unique take. The rest are alternate mixes except for a solo performance of "Guardian of the Universe" with Paul Rodgers.

There really aren't any undiscovered "new" songs here aside from the cover of "HTW".

Free would soldier on without Fraser (who left to form his band The Sharks with guitarist Chris Spedding)for one more album and tour before the band fractured yet again for the second and final time. Fraser would go on to record four solo albums and work as a writer for other artists (he wrote "Every Kinda People" which Robert Palmer turned into a huge hit). Rodgers and Kirke went on to form Bad Company. Kossoff eventually died on a plane flight from a heart attack as he continued to flirt with death using drugs.

By the way "Heartbreaker" the band's final album is well worth picking up as well.