Album: The Freedom Sessions /  Artist: Lauren Monroe /  10 tracks / Americana / Rock

While Lauren Monroe’s new CD The Freedom Sessions opens with two solid tunes, “Blaze,” and “By My Side,” the tastiest bits of ear candy are found in the middle tracks, “Love Won’t Let Me Down,” “Way To Burn,” and “Black River.” For The Freedom Sessions, the Americana crossover rock artist collaborated with guitarist Stoll Vaughan to pen eight of the ten songs, hooked up with Preston Pope for another, “Wildest Dreams,” and gives us a solo composition, “Black River.”

“Love Won’t Let Me Down,” has a nice groove with Vaughan and Pope playing comfortably in the pocket, while Monroe’s hubby, drummer Rick Allen (Def Leppard) does a superb job of accompanying Monroe, rather than overpowering her vocals with heavy beats.  Unmistakably, it is Monroe’s soulful vocals are what give this song its magic. She is supported by Moon Calhoun, Brenda Lee Eager and CC Bass' background vocals, on a tune that has you singing along with the chorus, the first time that you hear it. When you read our soon to be published interview with Lauren Monroe, you will understand why she can sing about love with so much authenticity.

The funky, “Way To Burn,” with its staccato beat and John Thomas’ up-tempo piano keys had my toe tapping the first time I heard this song. Vaughan and Monroe constructed a pretty melody, and have laid it over some deep purple (no not the group) organ grooves, which again come to us courtesy of Thomas. There are other musicians on this song, but Thomas and Monroe are the ones who have inscribed the words, “hit song,” on “Way To Burn.”

If you are a fan of the blues and hand played percussion, then you are going to love “Black River,” a ballad which boasts some fabulous hand beats as Monroe accompanies herself on the djembe, and stunning organ vibes from Thomas. Once again, it is Monroe’s soulful vocals that make this song something that is very special. This time she is successful in creating a Mississippi Delta ambience. As this disc continues to spin, you never get the sense that the singer or any of the musicians are in competition with one another, but instead they compliment each other. The three tracks that we have mentioned and in particular, “Black River,” create the feel of a live performance. The listener gets the sense that you are sitting in on a jam session, or an open section in a live concert. If Lauren Monroe and her band are this good in the studio, I can’t wait to hear them live.

We would be remiss if we failed to mention the tremendous vocal performance by Moon Calhoun, Brenda Lee Eager and C.C. Bass, as they harmonize while providing backup vocals for the track “Freedom Song.”

We have focused on only three tracks from The Freedom Sessions, but rest assured there are not any weak tracks on this album.  My bet is, once you sample Lauren Monroe’s music on her myspace site, or listen to her song “Black River,” through Riveting Riffs’ jukebox, you will soon be reaching for your credit card, so you can download this splendid album. The Freedom Sessions is one of the best CDs to cross my desk this year.

If justice prevails over politics, The Freedom Sessions should receive a Grammy Award nomination.

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Reviewed June 2008