Review of Freeland’s “Cope™”
By Lindsey Darden
The dance floor is set to get scorching hot this summer, as the latest album from Freeland, entitled Cope™, is set to be released on Marine Parade Records this month. Adam Freeland, more popularly known for his remixes – from the White Stripes to Marilyn Manson – takes a lively electronic sound to a whole different level, which, by way of a highly collaborative project, is not something out of the ordinary.
This extension of Freeland’s endeavors as DJ and producer consists of a lively glittery sound laced with rock & roll elements and industrial tendencies. Employing the vocals of Ken Bauman as frontman and therefore pseudo-constant, the album also features quite many a flourishing, established talent. In fact, should you wonder why Freeland sounds “like this band” or reminds you “of that band”, rest assured; you’ve not gone crazy – that is actually Marilyn Manson’s bassist Twiggy Ramirez, Tommy Lee of Mötley Crüe, and Jerry Casale of DEVO that you hear, among others.
Cope™‘s tracks exist with a seamless progression, from a satiating blend of techno-rock to dark, reverberating instrumentals a la Muse, all with a provocative atmospheric undertone throughout. A grungy cover of David Essex’s “Rock On” does with synthesizers and sequencers what the original did with strings; lush ambient shoegazing leads to an all-out rock-out on the track “Silent Speaking”, featuring New York-based band Soundpool. And of course, in respects to the dance floor, there are expected but nevertheless enjoyable say-it-like-you-mean-it lyrical anthems – “just relax, ’cause nothing is under control”, on the track “Under Control”.
Cope™ , the informal sub-definition of “organized experimental chaos”, is available for your streaming and pre-ordering pleasure here.
Videos:
“Under Control”
“Do You”
Track List:
- Do You
- Under Control
- Strange Things
- Bring It
- Mancry
- Borderline
- Rock On
- Silent Speaking
- Best Fish Tacos in Ensenada
- Only a Fool (Can Die)
- Morning Sun
- Wish I Was Here
Photo via Myspace
