THE FREE DESIGN "10-9-8-5-4-3-2, playing cosmic peekaboo!" One of the most idiosyncratic and original groups from the sixties returns: The Free Design - cited as a main influence by artists like Stereolab (who named an entire ep after the group), The High Llamas, Saint Etienne and Cornelius (who reissued their sixties recordings on his own Trattoria label). Cosmic Peekaboo presents the first new material by The Free Design in almost 30 years. Performed by the original line up that recorded their 1967 debut album Kites Are Fun, Cosmic Peekaboo is a complex masterpiece of unique beauty, abstract vocal harmonies and truly unusual arrangements of all new original songs. New York City’s The Free Design originally recorded seven albums between 1967 and 1973. Original copies of these albums (issued on the eclectic and influential Project 3 label) are now extremely sought-after and currently change hands for over $50. Interrupting his busy schedule as a composer for TV and film, Free Design main man Chris Dedrick first agreed to a one-off reformation in 2000 to contribute to the Marina compilation of Beach Boys songs,Caroline Now!. This led directly to a full-scale reunion of The Free Design and now Cosmic Peekaboo - an album of wisdom, grace and humour. The pattern of change and musical evolution that characterized each new Free Design album in the past continues with Cosmic Peekaboo. Hallmarks of the classic 60s Free Design sound are combined with a new reflective maturity. Chris, Sandy, and Bruce Dedrick’s beautiful vocal harmony textures rival the best moments of The Beach Boys - the type of vocal blend that probably only siblings can achieve. Chris Dedrick’s arrangements are characteristically playful with a sophisticated elegance. The opening track Peekaboo acts almost as a greeting from a band that has been "hiding" for 30 years; the closing refrain "10-9-8-5-4-3-2, playing cosmic peekaboo" serves notice that their wit and wonderful grasp of melody is still intact. Younger Son is a journey into their own musical past: "You were there with Dolphin Dan, you were Wo and Woody’s biggest fan, you believed that Kites Are Fun". McCarran Airport describes the temptations and trappings of Las Vegas; the song’s title and arrangement evoke obvious comparisons to Jimmy Webb. Springtime with its infectious melody and "spring is in the air" sentiment is a new Free Design classic. Day Breaks, an ode to the Dedricks’ late sister Stefanie, is hauntingly melancholic. The Hook, musically and lyrically reminiscent of Harry Nilsson, is their ironic comment on the state of today’s music scene: "Money makes money in this made-for-T.V. world. Creation by committee stunts the growth of boys and girls. I miss the live musicians like Ringo Starr and Gadd: Part of a dying race, but their samples can be had". It’s an obvious successor to their 1968 track 2002: A Hit Song. Over 30 years later, The Free Design remain separate from the "pack" ? with a completely unique artistic vision. Cosmic Peekaboo - as heavenly and artful as pop can be. |
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