Freedom-Is More Than A Word (1972)

During much of the second half of the 1960s and the early 1970s, countless great bands emerged, barely managing to release one or two albums at most. These anonymous bands are often considered cult classics, boasting legions of collectors and fans today. They poured their hearts and souls into the few works they managed to release, only to vanish without a trace in most cases, but leaving behind recordings that are a fundamental part of rock music history. Freedom is one such band, formed by former Procol Harum members Bobby Harrison (drums and vocals) and Ray Royer (guitar), who, along with Peter Dennis (bass, keyboards, and vocals), Steve Jolly (guitar), and Roger Saunders (vocals, guitar, and keyboards), released three superb albums. "Is More Than A Word", their last and finest work, was released in 1972 on the Vertigo label. An album that boasts memorable moments like the blues-rock with a funk edge "Sweaty Feet", the expansive funky rock "Brainbox Jam", the powerful cover of Don Nix's "Going Down", the pastoral "Direction", and the complex "Ladybird". Freedom didn't achieve massive success at the time, but they offered psychedelic hard rock, and their first two albums garnered favorable reviews and comparisons to leading bands like Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and Cream. However, their style for this third album shifted towards funkier and blues-rock sounds, gaining depth with rich nuances and greater musical versatility, at the expense of their original sound, but with too much competition surrounding them in those magical musical years.