The Freedom Sessions [EP] [ENHANCED]

Sarah McLachlan

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 11, 2008)
• Original Release Date: March 28, 1995
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced
• Label: SBME SPECIAL MKTS.
• ASIN: B0014YVCDA
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #28,750 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
An off-the-cuff curio for McLachlan's growing legion of fans. Recorded late-night and live at Pierre Marchand's Studio Nomade in the Laurentians, these loose, acoustic versions of songs off Fumbling Towards Ecstasy bring the artist to the fore and--like P.J. Harvey's 8-Track Demos--often deliver a stronger emotional punch than the album counterparts. "Plenty," "Elsewhere," and "Hold On" are shivery standouts, while the cover of Tom Waits's "Ol' 55&qiot; is good, sloppy fun. Jeff Bateman

Review
An off-the-cuff curio for McLachlan's growing legion of fans. Recorded late-night and live at Pierre Marchand's Studio Nomade in the Laurentians, these loose, acoustic versions of songs off Fumbling Towards Ecstasy bring the artist to the fore and--like P.J. Harvey's 8-Track Demos--often deliver a stronger emotional punch than the album counterparts. "Plenty," "Elsewhere," and "Hold On" are shivery standouts, while the cover of Tom Waits's "Ol' 55"; is good, sloppy fun - Jeff Bateman --Amazon.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Music As It's Supposed to Be..True, Free and Unedited, January 25, 2000

By	"zashburn" (The Lion City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Freedom Sessions [EP] [ENHANCED CD] (Audio CD)

Why buy this CD if you already have Fumbling ?

Adding to what the other reviewers here have said..Freedom Sessions is the REAL deal. It definitely lends credence to the saying "Less is more". No embellishments. No remastering or whatever techno digital stuff that make songs sound better is used here. Just pure Sarah and her immense talent.

'Elsewhere' is transformed from a slow rock number to a rather catchy accoustic guitar version with Sarah singing in a low sexy drawl. 'Plenty' transforms from a dark moody number into a delightful acapella duet with Camille, her BG singer. A piano-accoustic guitar version 'Mary', freed from the synthesised sounds and monotonous drumming of the original, is like breathing in the fresh breeze of a countryside.

'Good Enough' is more than good enough for me with a orchestra-like background instead of the folk-pop sound of the original. 'Ice Cream', a very lighthearted accoustic version, is Sarah and Ash's (her husband) love song and a standard Valentine's Day dedication. 'Ice', a very edgy version with full-bodied bass and the amplifier turned to the maximum, is so different from the soft haunting mood of the original. Sometimes you gotta have a lot of wine and be merry..Ol 55 is the result of such merriment and it is as the reviewer said; good sloppy fun.

However, the highlight of this album, for me is 'Hold On'. Sarah's songs are generally sad but none really made me cry like this piano version of 'Hold On'. This song was written after Sarah watched a documentary on AIDS and was inspired by a woman's courage after her husband passed away. Hearing Sarah sing, you really feel the woman's pain and sorrow as she watches her husband slowly succumb to death. I can't help but cry when she quietly sings "Oh God, the man I love is leaving, won't you take him when he comes to Your door." Oh no, my eyes are tearing again!

This is music like it's supposed to be; true, free and unedited. Overall, an excellent CD !

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than "Fumbling", September 23, 2002

By	Kristin Tomic (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Freedom Sessions [EP] [ENHANCED CD] (Audio CD)

I have long thought that Sarah's best work was done live. In the studio, her voice is smooth as silk, but rather dull. Live (or, here, acoustic) she is PHENOMENAL. Her voice has a raw edge and a little bit of a snarl to it, which is why songs like "Possession" and "Good Enough" are soooo much better on Mirrorball.

The tracks that stood out to me here were "Ice" and "Plenty"; however, there isn't a single track here that isn't wonderful.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Masterpiece, April 13, 2005

By	Robert Haven (Eugene, Oregon United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Freedom Sessions [EP] [ENHANCED CD] (Audio CD)

I bought this CD when it was first released and for many years it was my favorite CD (and I do mean Number One) out of my music collection. Over the last 10 years, only a couple of other CDs have come close matching the number of times I have played this. I don't understand why this is called an "oddity" by some reviewers. This was Sarah the way Sarah wanted to do those songs. I think they are even more beautiful and more emotional than on "Fumbling Towards Ecstacy", on which the production was influenced by others (not that they did anything bad on that great companion CD). I can't imagine anyone looking at this web page not loving this CD. To me it will always be Sarah's masterpiece.