FreeSol
Dec 5, 2011
Memphis is America's musical heart and soul. It's the birthplace of rock, the spiritual home of the blues, and more recently, host to some of the best rappers of the past decade. Fittingly, FreeSol has synthesized Memphis' myriad of influences - seemingly via osmosis - and has crafted a fresh sound that is electrifying fans from Atlanta to Los Angeles.
Comprised of FreeSol Anderson aka Free (MC), Kickman Teddy (drums), E. Ives (guitar/vocals), Mo D'Anger (bass), and DJ Charlie White, FreeSol has been winning over fans all around the South, the Midwest and the Northeast since 2003, via a live show that bridges the gap between rap, rock, funk and soul. The act's energetic sets caught the attention of Memphis native Justin Timberlake, who not only became a fan, but also signed the band to his label, Tennman/Interscope. The rest, as they say, is history.
From the breakneck, militaristic beats of "Role Model," punctuated with bursts of guitar (and a guest rap turn from Timberlake), to the sizzling, sensual, extended-metaphor of a coy rap track called "Audition", "No Rules" is a dizzying tour through Tennessee's musical soul right now. Tracks such as "Hoodies On, Hats Low" sway with a confidence rarely seen in bands pursuing the type of music FreeSol excels at. The entire band seems set on "automatic" when it comes to magnificent musicianship, coming across as the house band "Hustle & Flow" never had; yet would have welcomed with open arms.
FreeSol's debut album, No Rules, produced by Timbaland, Jim Jonsin, Mike Elizondo, Printz Board, Dave Tozer, Greg Gordon and The Y's, and executive produced by Justin Timberlake, unquestionably captures the sound of the South today - which is to say soulful, danceable, edgy, fun and with a heart so large fans know it could only come out of Memphis.
