Freedom - Nero Su Bianco / Black On White (1969 uk, beautiful psychedelic rock, 2009 bouns tracks remaster)

A spin-off of Procol Harum, Freedom was formed by guitarist Ray Royer and drummer Bobby Harrison. Both of them were in Procol Harum's lineup at the outset for their debut "A Whiter Shade of Pale" single, but were ousted almost immediately when Procol singer, Gary Brooker, enlisted his former bandmates from the Paramounts, Robin Trower and Barry Wilson, as replacements. Freedom's early sound, perhaps unsurprisingly, echoed Procol Harum's in its prominent use of organ and piano, as well as heavy rock guitar, and like Procol Harum's early records, captured late British psychedelia as it was starting to inch toward progressive rock.

Freedom wasn't a Procol Harum clone, though, with a somewhat poppier take on psychedelia that was closer to Traffic than Procol Harum. Their initial lineup only released two singles in 1968 before breaking up, also recording a soundtrack for an obscure Italian film by Dino De Laurentis, Attraction/Black on White. The soundtrack LP was given a limited release in Italy -- so limited, in fact, that the group members themselves were unaware that it had come out. Recorded with noted future producers Eddie Kramer and Glyn Johns engineering, this was reissued on CD in 1999, and is actually a pretty good if derivative slice of late-'60s British psychedelia.

by Richie Unterberger

Tracks
1. To Be Free - 3:20
2. The Better Side - 4:35
3. Attraction- Black On White/With You - 7:55
4. The Butt Of Deception - 2:54
5. The Truth Is Plain To See - 3:54
6. Childhood Reflections - 3:07
7. Seeing Is Believing - 3:15
8. You Won't Miss - 3:31
9. Born Again - 4:21
10.Decidedly Man - 4:19
11.Relation - 3:23
12.We Say No - 3:11
13.The Game Is Over - 4:49
14.The Better Side (Working Mix, Single Vocal) - 4:41
15.The Butt Of Deception (Working Mix) - 2:54
16.Born Again (Dry Version) - 4:15
17.Where Will You Be Tonight? (Mike Lease) - 3:39
18.Trying To Get A Glimpse Of You (Ray Royer) - 3:02
19.Trying To Get A Glimpse Of You (Mellotron) (Ray Royer) - 3:02
20.Trying To Get A Glimpse Of You (Pisno) (Ray Royer) - 3:05
All songs by Bobby Harrison, Mike Lease, Ray Royer, Steve Shirley except where stated
Bonus Tracks 14 - 20

Freedom
*Bobby Harrison - Drums
*Mike Lease - Keyboards
*Ray Royer - Guitar
*Steve Shirley - Bass

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