Freedom People: "New (R)Evolution"

It's a damn shame that there really hasn't been a powerful musical protest movement against the Iraq war. Ever since the Dixie Chicks were vilified for daring to challenge the Bush administration, other modern recording artists seem to be afraid to get overly political. While important artists like Steve Earle have dared to speak out against the war, the vast majority have decided that it's best to avoid controversy.

The Freedom People are Brad Stanfield & Periel Marr, who apply their vocal and instrumental skills upon the ten tracks on their album New (R)Evolution. Musically, the album assembles guitars, percussion, and Stanfield's and Marr's vocals into a crisply recorded folk-rock style that will sound familiar to fans of John Mellencamp or, to go back a few years, the Mama's and the Papas.

The lead-off track, "New (R)Evolution" is the most overt call for the end of the Bush Doctrine and an end to the war. Stanfield and Marr plead for a "sit in on the White House lawn," to an accompaniment of vibrato-charged guitars. Stanfield's guitar chops are solid, as he uses a wah-wah to great effect in the hard-charging "People Let's Stop the War." The duo shows off a funky side with Marr on lead vocals in "Say Love," then enters Stevie Nicks territory with the mid-tempo number "Be Here Now."

New (R)Evolution offers a good bit of varitety. The duo's voices are engaging and effectively compliment each other ("Hologram"), they know how to rock ("The Earth is My Church"), and Stanfield demonstrates his guitar chops ("Free").

The modern rock audience may find the Freedom People to be overly nostalgic, with their message of peace and love. But Stanfield and Marr are sincere in their beliefs, even if sometimes the album hearkens back to a time when people were actively engaged in demonstrating their disdain for the politics of the time.

Bud Buckley: "It's About Time"

Listen to this album while reading this review!

It's comforting to know that while Americans are facing tough times, one can always turn to music to provide relief.

Bud Buckley, along with several talented Woodstock, NY musicians, has cooked up an album full of AOR tracks that succeeds on a lot of different levels. Sometimes the album is perfect as a Sunday morning soundtrack, other times a song will grab your attention with a clever hook or a sense of urgency.

Buckley's honest voice is accompanied by a lush production of strings, guitars, and percussion. The lyrics are often poignant and occasionally humorous, as in the track "Tatoo": "Bad ideas seem so perfect when they first inflame your mind - Possibly they'll show no mercy, going from cool to lame in time."

Buckley can also rock in a rootsy, earnest manner that will be familiar to fans of Tom Petty or Bruce Springsteen ("Underground"). His quieter efforts resemble Crowded House, as acoustic guitars are deployed in an unusually effective manner ("Keeping Secrets").

It's About Time is an eclectic collection of songs that also manages to achieve a level of cohesiveness often lacking in 21st century pop and rock. Give Bud Buckley a listen, it's well worth the time.