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FREELOADER
Custom/10 (Self Released)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
At first listen, Freeloader's debut CD gave me a salsa commercial flashback. New York City?!? How the hell does the best new Americana act I've heard this year come from New York City? A closer examination reveals that guitarist/songwriter/vocalist Scott Sinclair actually hails from Texas, which explains the drawl in his singing voice. He ended up in NYC after picking up Masters degrees from the University of Virginia and Stanford, to carve out a career as a financial analyst for a brokerage. As any regular reader of the financial pages would know, that's a high risk field, so he set his sights on a career in a more stable industry. Like, say, music....
Well, it turned out music isn't all that stable either. No sooner did he get the tracks for Custom/10 laid down and ready for the pressing plant than the band collapsed around his ears. He recruited a new bass player and drummer, and a reborn Freeloader set about working the New York area and the southeast to some degree of critical acclaim.
Replacing players might not have been his intent, but I'm glad that Sinclair decided to do it and keep pushing this music out there. His songs feature smart, literate lyrics over laid back country rock rhythms and melodies, and put him immediately in the league of established songwriters like Steve Earle, John Prine and Guy Clark. I'm particularly taken by "Renee," an ode to a middle aged counter clerk and her broken dreams. It's a tough subject to tackle without coming across as trite or condescending, but it's a subject that Sinclair handily masters.
Actually, he handily and poetically masters every subject he takes on, from bad luck at gambling and love to environmental decay. He manages to find original takes on familiar subjects, and sets them to melodies that set off his subjects superbly. With a SXSW showcase on their resume and a commitment to the road that is bound to build an audience, it's just a matter of time before they strike a deal that puts this in record stores everywhere. Meanwhile, you can get ahead of the pack with a click on the button to Amazon.com, where an advance order for Custom/10 can be placed.
Track List:
W.I.P. * Lemonade * Gutless * Pigeon * Two Chips * Easter Lament * Ghost Town * Renee * Senorita * Entitled * Needle Point * Jensin * Toast At Le Zoo
© 2001 - Shaun Dale