Barry Adamson is a bit of a musical legend. As a member of both Magazine and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Adamson has been part of some of the most instrumental cutting edge music of our time. From post punk to theatrical murder ballads Barry Adamson has truly seen and done it all. He's had a long and fruitful career and to this day continues to make seminal music. His tenth album, I Will Set You Free is a funky, theatrical, loungey work that's imaginative and sounds like a Tom Jones record if he were living on the dark side.
With a jazzy feel, smoky sounds, and a element of darkness pulsating through it I Will Set You Free puts to use the knowledge of 34 years of musical experience. The results are stunning dramatic pieces that shows Barry's dark and seedy side as well as his atmospheric pop side. The ghosts of rock and roll bands long since past still haunt Adamson's soul and these songs are permeated by their spirits in the orchestrated, angular and expressive nature in which they exist. A song such as lead single, "Turnaround," illustrates this perfectly; it's loungey, sly, and teeters on being a noirish pop masterpiece.
I Will Set You Free is an awesome album that's so filled with thematic ideas, cinematic overtones, and just enough jazzy funk to keep your feet moving. From a blazing horn section to the deep soulful vocals that cover this record like syrup and everything in between, Barry Adamson has it covered and covered well. Atmospheric and melodramatic, I Will Set You Free is one heck of a record that proves this old dog still can learn a few new tricks.
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