Free Me (album)

Free Me
Studio album by Emma Bunton
Released 9 February 2004 (2004-02-09)
Recorded 2003
Studio Sarm West Studios, Olympic Studios
(London, England)
Length 45:30
Label 19
Producer
Emma Bunton chronology
A Girl Like Me
(2001)		 Free Me
(2004)		 Life in Mono
(2006)
Alternative cover
US and Canadian cover
Singles from Free Me
  1. "Free Me"
    Released: 26 May 2003
  2. "Maybe"
    Released: 13 October 2003
  3. "I'll Be There"
    Released: 26 January 2004
  4. "Crickets Sing for Anamaria"
    Released: 31 May 2004

Free Me is the second solo studio album by English singer Emma Bunton. It was released on 9 February 2004 by 19 Recordings.[1]

Background

In 2001, Bunton released her solo debut album A Girl Like Me through Virgin Records. It spent over twelve weeks inside the UK Albums Chart, peaking at number four and earning a gold certification by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). It also produced her only solo number-one "What Took You So Long?" as well as top five hits "What I Am" and "Take My Breath Away", as well as top 20 hit "We're Not Gonna Sleep Tonight". When it came to her second album, her record company "came to me and said, 'Let's do a demo thing for the second album.' And I thought, 'Hold on a minute.' Not a lot of people know this, but I actually walked away from it. We put so much into it, and when they don't give you that support anymore, it's quite heartbreaking," says Bunton. "I said, 'Thank you very much for the demo idea, but I want to take this where I know people are going to be right behind me and work as hard as I do.'"[2]

Singles

The lead single, "Free Me", was released in the spring of 2003. The song immediately picked up airplay, and the single sold well in the UK, peaking at number five on the UK Singles Chart. "Maybe" was released as the second single in the autumn of 2003, and also gained extensive airplay throughout the UK, peaking at number six.

In the spring of 2004, the album and its third single, "I'll Be There", were released. The single, like its two predecessors, performed well on the charts, peaking at number seven.

Later in the year, the fourth single, "Crickets Sing for Anamaria", was released. The song peaked at number 15 on the UK Singles Chart.

In the United States, both "Free Me" and "Maybe" were dance club regulars, reaching numbers four and six on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, respectively.

Sound and composition

The album was largely produced by Mike Peden and Yak Bondy, who have produced tracks for S Club 7 and Lucie Silvas, to name a few. Other contributions on the album courtesy of Cathy Dennis, Henry Binns, and Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi. The album was released via 19 Recordings, which is a division of 19 Management, the company owned by Simon Fuller. Bunton says of the inspiration behind the album: "I've been listening to Motown since I was about five, and just loving it, being very passionate about the fact how it was all done live, and I thought, 'Hold on, I always talk about the fact I love '60s and Motown', so I thought I'd take elements of it, bits of it, and put it into my album, so that's exactly what I did." However, Bunton's songs on this album mainly started life as a simple scribble. She says, "I have a little book beside my bed, where I put all my ideas for songs and stuff. It's kind of weird, 'cuz usually when I'm having a dream, I'll wake up, and I'll write something down, then I'll look at it again and think, 'God, what was I dreaming about?'"

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
BBC Musicpositive[3]
Blender[4]
The Daily Telegraphpositive[5]
MusicOMHmixed[6]
Rolling Stone[7]
USA Today[8]

The album was acclaimed by critics for its catchy and fun use of sounds from the Motown and the 1960s era. The BBC says the album is "light and frothy, like a good cappuccino, but this time it's with the sugar taken out".[3] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic gave a positive review saying, "This music is stylish without being flashy, thanks in large part to the charmingly tuneful, sturdy songs (all but one bearing a writing credit from Emma). While Bunton may still have a small, sweet voice, she's developed a stronger presence on record, giving this album not just a face, but a fetching persona that's hard to resist".[1]

According to Lynsey Hanley from newspaper The Daily Telegraph, Bunton's new musical direction was "a brave move, given that high-sheen, saucy R&B is currently the main mode of expression for female pop performers, but Emma's lilting vocals and only faintly suggestive image suit this album's less aggressive style".[5]

"The album's got charm, grace and it's fun", said Q magazine. Marie Claire magazine said it "mixes up bossa nova with James Bond soundtrack" and that "Emma reminds of a seductive Brigitte Bardot".[9]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Free Me"
Peden4:28
2."Maybe"
Peden3:43
3."I'll Be There"
  • Bunton
  • Muddiman
  • Peden
Peden3:23
4."Tomorrow"
  • Bunton
  • Bondy
Bondy3:55
5."Breathing"
  • Bunton
  • Henry Binns
  • Yoyo Olugbo
Boo Dan Productions4:00
6."Crickets Sing for Anamaria"
Peden2:46
7."No Sign of Life"
Ellis3:38
8."Who the Hell Are You"
Ray 'Madman' Hedges3:18
9."Lay Your Love on Me"
  • Dennis
  • Fabien Waltmann
3:23
10."Amazing" (featuring Luis Fonsi)
  • Bunton
  • Peden
  • Muddiman
  • Nina Marander
Peden4:06
11."You Are"
  • Lever
  • Percy
3:46
12."Something So Beautiful"
  • Bunton
  • Steve Lewinson
  • Pete Lewinson
  • S. Lewinson
  • P. Lewinson
  • Lipso Facto[a]
3:46
Total length:45:30

Notes

  • ^[a] signifies an additional producer
  • ^[b] signifies a remixer

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/Sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[14] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[15] 17,000[16]

^shipments figures based on certification alone

Release history

Region Date Label
United Kingdom 9 February 2004 19
Australia 19 July 2004 Universal
Brazil 20 September 2004
Germany 21 January 2005
United States 25 January 2005 19

References

  1. 1 2 3 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Free Me – Emma Bunton". AllMusic. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  2. ↑ https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/emma-bunton-bringing-up-baby-76018.html
  3. 1 2 Top of the Pops (13 February 2004). "Free Me – Emma Bunton (Review)". BBC Music. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  4. ↑ Andrew Harrison. "Emma Bunton - Free Me". Blender. Archived from the original on 5 April 2005. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  5. 1 2 Hanley, Lynsey (9 February 2004). "CD reviews: Norah Jones and more". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 25 August 2009. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  6. ↑ Ahmad, Azeem (9 February 2004). "Emma Bunton - Free Me". MusicOMH. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  7. ↑ Barry Walters (27 January 2005). "Rolling Stone Review: Free Me – Emma Bunton". USA Today. Archived from the original on 10 December 2006. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  8. ↑ Elysa Gardner (31 January 2005). "Emma, Free Me". USA Today. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  9. ↑ "Música de Marcos Valle é destaque de CD de ex-spice girl" (in Portuguese). BBC Brasil. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  10. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  11. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  12. ↑ "Emma Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  13. ↑ "UK Year-End Charts 2004" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. p. 4. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  14. ↑ "British album certifications – Emma Bunton – Free Me". British Phonographic Industry. 28 May 2004. Retrieved 22 January 2018. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Free Me in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  15. ↑ "American album certifications – Emma Bunton – Free Me". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 30 August 2018. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
  16. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (18 November 2006). "Ask Billboard, THE SPICE IS RIGHT". Billboard. Retrieved 2012-01-05.
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