Customer Reviews

Home Free

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4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Don't get me wrong: I'm a diehard Fogelberg fan. I last saw him in concert in 2000, the eleventh time I'd been to one of his shows. I own all his albums (except "Something Old, New, Borrowed and Some Blues" and the recent Christmas CD, which got an emphatic "Don't bother" from some friends who are equally ardent fans). I wore out the grooves on my Fogelberg albums in the 1970s learning to play guitar. But I'm also honest about someone who was for so long my musical idol: Nearly 20 albums and 30 years later, "Home Free" -- recorded in Nashville when he was a 22-year-old session man -- is arguably Fogelberg's best work.

From the first ethereal strings of "To the Morning" to the lingering ending of "The River," this album stands as a quintessential example of Fogelberg's talent. There is little artifice here, musically or lyrically. (For all their strength, albums like "Netherlands" and "The Innocent Age" sometimes nearly topple from bombast.) In the context of such a great album, it's easy to embrace clunker lines like "far too many stars have fell on me" as idiom. The production -- and bass playing -- by Norbert Putnam is outstanding (he was also doing top-notch work with Eric Andersen at the time in Nashville). And Fogelberg's voice, though not as mature as in the middle years of his career before smoking roughened it, is pristine. (Listen to the last note of "Wysteria.")

It's sad that after "The Innocent Age" in 1981 fine songs on Fogelberg albums became the exception rather than the rule. But, like all his fans, it irks me that he has been pigeon-holed by ballads like "Longer" and "Leader of the Band" and gets airtime only on easy-listening stations. Dan Fogelberg is a phenomenal talent, and I hope someday that he gets the credit he deserves. Meanwhile, I'll keep listening to classics like "Stars" and "Long Way Home" and "Looking for a Lady." For any artist, this album would be legacy enough.

This record does not get the attention that it so desperately deserves. This may upset some, but I feel that if you add up the greatness of all of Dan's records, it will not even come close to being as wonderful as Home Free. To me, his later albums lack the raw emotion that this album so perfectly portrays. Every song on this album is great. Listen to the sheer beauty of Be on Your Way or the raw emotion of More Than Ever. This record is Dan's milestone. If you buy a Dan record, do not waste your time with the others, BUY THIS ONE. It goes downhill from here. Some of Souvnirs has that same feeling, but by Captured Angel almost all is lost. I'm not saying that the other albums are bad, but with an album as good as Home Free, the only place one can go is down. This album should be spoken in the same breath as the first CSN album, Neil Young's Harvest, and Jackson Browne's For Everyman. In fact, I would say that I listen to Home Free more than any of these albums, so stop reading this and buy it. You should certainly not be disappointed.

I begin here not knowing how I can give this selection the proper reverence that it truly deserves. Who can tell me what beauty is? Or love? Or any of the elegant traits that you bestow upon us here? Words are used for lack of anything else. The true measure of this music is felt within and varies depending on how much emotion you let yourself feel. Yes, it's that incredible. And, to think it was your first effort. What a blessing that first one was, and still is Dan. The bliss and exhiliration I feel while listening is something I want always in my life. And, I'm sure everyone does. Stunning and beautiful.

People should not look for these songs on a greatest hits collection. For they exist here, contained within their own gem-like world unto themselves. Pure and crystalline. Not many knew about you then Dan. I was a fortunate one. But, soon the world came around. How could they not? The music ability was always formidable and would have been recognized. But, what we got as a bonus was your heart. Pouring emotion and hurt, love and regret into your songs. But with a silken tenderness that soothed all our fears.

You started out with fine acoustic guitar, soft piano lines and added pedal steel guitar, fiddle, cello to the selections whenever warranted. The landscape embraced the country air and thrived through the seasons. And, throughout it all, you taught us what it was to feel, to be human. We all, sometimes, need to be reminded of that.

The first song my newborn son heard was "To the Morning". It probably is my most favorite of yours. The soft anticipation of the dawning of a new day. The grace of the keyboards conveying gradual awakening. This is the magic of nature in music.

The delicate regret of seperation in the tender acoustic of "Stars" never falls into melancholy. You mourned but kept the passion. So well done Dan.
Your pedal steel ode "More Than Ever" was the musical equivalent to the need for love. Country infused and not a false note.

The sadness over the loss of love has never sounded as haunting and angelic as it does in "Be On Your Way". Slow, lilting acoustic and cello composition that eases the hurt. Throughout, you balance everything here. You give us upbeat, country-flavored tunes such as "Long Way Home" and "Anyway I Love You", which shows Nashville at it's finest production. You then, tone it down with the lovely acoustics of "Looking for a Lady" and "Wysteria", portaying the subjects with the correct nuance and feel of your vocals.

You finally end with the emotional undertow of "The River". A serious rendering of how are lives are just like that river. We may try to escape it, but it will be with us forever. A journey of discovery. An inevitability. A soft insistence of sound that builds, seduces and engulfs the listener. Masterful.

In closing Dan, thank-you for this music. My life certainly would have been poorer in many ways without it. But this, I feel, is your special one. God Bless You.

Your own, Metamorpho ;)

Among those who -- in my case, during the 80s -- fell for the 70s sound of the Eagles, Jackson Browne etc., it didn't take long for me to discover this excellent singer/song-writer and multi-instrumentalist and he has since become my great inspiration.

As a resident in Sweden, it took a few years to discover the existence and to get hold of this oustanding artist debut, recorded in the early seventies. I had then already purchased "Souvenirs", "Captured Angel", Nether Lands", "Phoenix" and "The Innocent Age" and was really curious, because there always is somethong special about debut albums in general. When I finally found it (this was -- like all the others -- on vinyl), I was struck by the boldness and sincerety of the music. I hardly think there is a record company today that would have the guts to produce such a personal and uncommercial debut album with their new artist.

The album was recorded in Nashville (where Fogelberg -- who originally set out to become a painting artist -- also had worked as session musician), and like on his next two albums there are very strong country & western influences in the music arrangements, with pedal steel, fiddle and piano and country guitar. But there are also efforts in going his own way and finding his own personal musical expressions. Therefore he takes it one step further and adds to it unusual instruments (harp f.x.) and strings. The mood in some of the acoustic ballads and slow rock songs is, some would say moody and even depressive, but I would say beautiful and innovative, and filled with equally much emotional depth and poetry as in his lyrics. Just listen for example to "Wysteria", "Hickory Grove" and "To the Morning" and you won't believe your ears! This is art!

Naturally, "Home Free" is a musical masterpiece (it is his own self-portrait on the cover, by the way), but it is maybe not quite as strong in melody througout as his other 70s albums, and the technical sound production is poor and dry and on low volume (maybe this is better on the CD?). His voice hasn't really here matured when it comes to solo singing, and he has -- by some strange reason -- used a falsetto singing style and placed his songs in very high key, which doesent make his usual excellent voice justice; therefore the singing sometimes nearly disappeares in the mix and sounds thin. A few albums later he seem to have gained a stronger self-consience in his singing voice, however, and scrapped this high-pitched notes.

It is a splendid album, however, and maybe the most interesting debut from a recording artist ever. Fogelberg shows what a great and multi-talented musician he is and as always his over-dubbed vocal harmonies are outstanding. To me it's a rare classic and I'm glad to see that it's now possible to find it on CD, because I have totally worn out my vinyl record.

Many argue this is Dan Fogelberg's best album. "Home Free" is not my personal favorite, but this Fogelberg's debut truly was a hard act to follow.

Probably my favorites are the opening and closing songs. The opener, "In the Morning" is probably one of my top ten favorite Fogelberg songs. Morning is NOT my favorite time of the day, but this song conjures liquid light. "The River" talks about life's journey and finding one's identity.

Whatever songs you like best, "Home Free" is definitely a worthwhile intro to this amazing artist or adding to your collection of Fogelberg.

R. Kyle, April 2008

Please accept my humble thoughts on Dan's best work............

The first and in my opinion the best of Dan's body of work. Largely and sadly overlooked in Dan's present concert repetoire. This is one where you followed along with the inner album jacket, reading and digesting all the lyrics as the music played.

A few words on his masterwork......

The River- " I wrote this song sitting by a river by my house a long time ago. I am much happier than that now." Well maybe he should not be so happy. The river is everything a great song should be. The words and instrumentation are exquisite. Dan goes full boat on the electric. He said "it was the only time I ever used a wah wah." Well I am hard pressed to find another time where he rocked this hard either. I think this song could only have been done with an electric. If someone says that Fogelberg can't rock, set them in the direction of this song. This is a top fiver, maybe his best. And like all of what I think to be his best work......you aint hearin him play this one anytime soon.

Dan has made an incredible body of work over the last 30 years, but I believe none are more realized than this one. If you have a chance to talk to Dan, and ask him about this album, he will brush this off as a "simply fair work at best, written by a kid who did a lot of [stuff]." Do not let him fool you, what this album really is is heartfelt look at the world from someone who has yet to be corrupted by it. I have been collecting music for a lifetime. Though I have many albums, if there is only one I can take with me to the next life, it will ALWAYS be this one.

The comments below were written about the 1990 edition. I have not heard the 2008 budget reissue, & I have no idea what mix &/or mastering they used for it.

From the other reviews here, it appears that most people are not aware that this is a significant remix, & not at all the same version that was released on vinyl. Please see my review of the 2006 UK BGO Remastered Edition which uses the original mix for more details on this.

I have worn this album out, so am ordering the CD. It has a little bit of everything, a slight folksy, country sound, but great meaningful songs and melodies. His first album and a real taste of what was to come. If you like Dan Fogelberg, this is a must have.

Dan Fogelberg is admittedly my all-time favorite singer/song writer. I own everything of his with the exception of Somthing Old, Something New, Something Borrowed and some Blues. I started collecting his works immediately after hearing "The River", which is my favorite song on this album followed closely by Wysteria.

My first copy of Home Free was on album. I wore it out. My second was on cassette. I wore it out. Now I own the CD. I prefered the album and cassette, since the CD (which is a remix) loses some of the magic and warmth that can be felt on the album and cassette.

One of his best (though it is my third favorite - Netherlands and Wild Places are my first and second). I would recommend this album to anyone that is into singer/songwriter's of the 70's like Cat Stevens, the Eagles, et al.

When Home Free first came out and the nearby college FM station was playing Wysteria all the time it sounded kind of strange: kind of classical, kind of folky but totally entrancing. The rest of the album was reminiscent of Gram Parsons, the Byrds and the Eagles but Dan was doing it better. But when the wide open market of the early 70's ended Dan focused on all those love songs and turned into Neil Diamond and became just as irrelevant. But for one great album and most of Souvenirs, Fogelberg showed us just what he was capable of doing. If only he could believe in this music again.