Memphis-based FreeWorld knows how to sink into a deep funk, much to the delight of their fans. Songwriter, lead vocalist, and bassist Richard Cushing says the band has always been very much a live animal, and that its performances benefit immensely from the energy of their audiences.
Diversity sounds very much like a live album with great sound separation.
To further capture the interplay of live performance, the band laid down their rhythm tracks without headphones. FreeWorld reigned in their trademark extended jams for Diversity , yet retained plenty of articulate soloing and progressiveness to their song structures. Like a family that learns to live in close quarters without getting in each other's way, each instrumental element meshes and breathes with the others, yielding the right amount of tension, harmony, and space. Brian Overstreet's searing wah-wah gives way to horn master Herman Green's simmering sax, while Cushing's passionate vocals tear it up with groovy urgency, sinking and swelling with the deft dynamics of a seasoned performer. If FreeWorld's sharp synchronicity and warm vibe on Diversity are any indication of their live prowess, put their gig on your to-do list the next time you're in Memphis.