LAGNIAPPE RECORDS
311-B Jefferson St. Lafayette, LA 70501
STORE HOURS
OPEN: Wednesday thru Saturday
12 p.m. - 6 p.m.
NOPE: Sunday, Monday & Tuesday
OPEN:
Wed. - Sat.
12 - 6
CLOSED:
Sun. - Tues.
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Free is one of my favorite groups. Lots of other later groups imitated them, but none were as good. Most people only know a few of their songs, "All Right Now" being the one you'd have heard if nothing else, but there is so much in their catalog. This is from 1970, so some of the later material such as "Wishing Well" doesn't appear, but what is here is great.
Live, they pull out all the stops. There's so much aural space in their music already (especially the earlier stuff) so the fact that they play live doesn't mean the arrangements drop out and the energy goes with. Exactly the opposite! They turn up the energy level (as any good live act would do,) and the fact that our ears are so used to sonic space and dynamics means that nothing feels off. Simon Kirke and Andy Fraser step up when Kossof solos, and lay back during the verses and the quiet moments. Fraser sometimes drops out completely, which meantsthat when he reappears you really feel it. This is exactly how good live acts should work and something that is all to often absent from modern music.
It's also hard to realize that they were still teenagers or early twentysomethings when they recorded this stuff. Andy Fraser's bass and Simon Kirke's drums anchor the whole thing while Kos and Paul fly high over the top. To me, Fraser is one of the great unsungs of the bass world. He played so well, so adventurously, and tastefully, to say nothing of all the great writing he did, but hardly anyone knows who he is.
The recording is mixed like a live stage, so Fraser is mostly left, Kirke and Rodgers center, and Kos right. The remastering sounds pretty good to me, too, and the extra tracks on the reissue are most welcome, although there are a few duplicates (Mr. Big, All Right Now, Get Where I Belong).
Highlights: Moonshine (Kos!), Be My Friend, Mr. Big, the second version of All Right Now where Kos just goes into space for a while. But really, all of it!
STORE HOURS
OPEN: Wednesday thru Saturday
12 p.m. - 6 p.m.
NOPE: Sunday, Monday & Tuesday
Vinyl, Tapes, & Shit
*SEALED* Jacket still sealed in shrink original wrap; disc sold ungraded or "as is."
NM (Near Mint) Appears unplayed and will bear no marks, sleeve scuffs, or scratches.
EX+ (Excellent) May have one or two visible imperfections (i.e. sleeve scuffs, faint scratches, or other superficial marks) that will not affect playback.
VG+ (Very Good+) A few visible imperfections. These may include sleeve scuffs, light scratches, or other superficial marks.
VG (Very Good) Similar imperfections found on VG+ records but in slightly greater numbers. Records graded VG and above will typically not have any scratches that are deep enough to be felt with a fingernail.
VG- (Very Good-) A number of visible imperfections; the presence of a considerable number of light scratches will force a VG- grade, as will the presence of significant isolated defects such as scratches deep enough to be felt with a fingernail.
G (Good) Record can be played without skipping, but will have significant surface noise, scratches, and visible groove wear. G+ and G- are used to indicate stronger and weaker copies within this range.
*SW/DNAP* Slight warp, does not affect playback
*QUAD* Quadraphonic Sound, similar to today’s surround sound
All records are visually graded by our experienced staff, using a bright lamp and an Audio-Technica ATLP-120 turntable.