Artist: Dan Fogelberg
Album: Home Free
Year: 1973
The best of the "parents choice" albums so far, Dan Fogelberg's debut "Home Free" was a pleasant surprise. Unlike, say, The Moody Blues, the 1973 LP in no way feels dated; the kitschy soft-rock/folk/confessional singer-songwriter bit is still done quite a bit, and there's no question that some of them are emulating Fogelberg. Fogelberg himself is at his best when he's giving his most self-intuitive and original efforts; while the CSNY influence is made overtly obvious in songs like "Long Way Home" and closer "The River", these songs - while still pleasant homages - fall short of the more direct "Stars", "To The Morning", and the beautiful and sparse "Looking For A Lady (Living In The Country)". Personal favorite is the haunting and remarkably powerful "Wysteria", as stripped as Fogelberg gets on the album. The song shows that Fogelberg shows his true talent when the arrangements don't cloud up his confessional style and stellar voice, but rather let them build to their natural climaxes. The album is strong through and through with obvious highlights and nothing feeling out of place. Highly recommended.
Hear it for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQWwZQxSwoM
Until tomorrow.
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