For all of you Sarah-fans who felt a little bit unhappy with Mirrorball this is a must-buy! Sarah sings songs from Fumbling Towards Ecstasy in a new way, and in most cases the Freedom-versions are far superior to the studio originals. Mary, is for instance, such a sweet and simple song that it hardly needs any arrangements whatsoever. The Freedom-version eclipses the Fumbling-one. It makes you want to grab your guitar or jump on your pianostool and just jam along.
The best reason to buy Freedom is, however, Hold On. The Fumbling-approach is, frankly, overdone. Too much emphasis on the rhythm and the base, as if this is supposed to be a rock tune. The stripped-down version on the Freedoms Sessions reveals the utter beauty of the composition. Sarahs voice soars; suddenly the words take on a new meaning. A haunting song, one of Sarahs very best... in this version, that is.
And let's not forget a lovely gem like Ice Cream which borders on silliness but immediately wins you over. Try to get that one out of your head! I find myself humming it all the time!
Willem van Altena, CanEHdian.com
