In an announcement eight years in the making, Freedy Johnston has revealed that he will release his new record, Rain On The City, in October. The news was so huge, so continent-shaking, that Team Freedy didn’t bother to tell anyone about it. Instead, they just plopped a few paragraphs on his underdesigned web site and directed users to a MySpace page. MySpace, it turns out, still exists. Who knew?
The three songs streaming there are a mixed bag, abundantly hooky but not so catchy that you’ll find yourself humming them after a listen or two. The orchestration that underlines Don’t Fall In Love With A Lonely Girl - a song he released in semi-demo format some time ago - feels a little desperate, like somebody in the studio knew the track needed to be punched up but didn’t know how. The album’s title cut makes up in melancholy what it lacks in direction. The Other Side Of Love delights in easy ’70s harmonies, electric piano and a militia of acoustic guitars.
There’s nothing here especially distinctive or fun, and it bums me out that, after eight years, he’s returned with generic singer/songwriter fare. But hey, they’re only three songs out of what I would imagine will be 10 to 12 on the record. So, as part of a compare/contrast FReedy FRiday exercise, here’s the earlier demo of Don’t Fall In Love With A Lonely Girl. It’s not available on iTunes or elsewhere, so feel free to send me an email and ask nicely for it. I’m happy to share, so long as you balance the copyright/royalties ledger by buying another Freedy song.
On a related note, Freedy is playing Brooklyn’s Union Hall next Friday. Owing to work, exhaustion (real exhaustion, not Lohan/Love exhaustion) and post-moving shrapnel wounds, I doubt I’ll be there. Nonetheless, I strongly recommend the gig to anyone who even remotely enjoys Freedy’s songs, because the guy’s a natural in that setting. Tell ‘em Uncle Larry sent you. When they ask who Uncle Larry is, fake a seizure or pull a fire alarm, then escape amid the ensuing panic.
