ELECTRIC BOYS – Freewheelin’ [Digipak remastered reissue +6]

Some time ago we featured here the remastered version of Swedish melodic hard rockers ELECTRIC BOYS second album. Now it has been requested their other albums which really worth a place into your collection.
”Freewheelin’”is their third full length album, and for many, their best, most elaborated piece of work. This remastered reissue not only sound better and with more definition, it also includes the complete ‘Freewheelin’ sessions, previously unreleased tracks.

More powerful and classic hard rock oriented, ”Freewheelin”’ finds the band hitting on all cylinders right from the start. “Ready To Believe” and “Straight No Chaser” both sound like they could have been on the band’s debut album and feature the kind of stripper-inspired rhythms and sing-along choruses that the band was known for before record labels tried to polish up their sound.
“Mountains and Sunsets” falls into a similar style and groove as well, however aside from these three tracks, the band finds themselves sliding into more arena-inspired hard bluesy rock sound.
What surprised me it that they made it work so well.

“The Groover” is a prime example of the band’s new sound… not overly heavy but a granite mid-tempo rocker with a nice hook and a definite ’70’s vibe. “Sad Day” slows things down with a classic rock ballad sound, then “Nothing For Nothing” revs the album right back up to the slightly up-tempo groove that much of the records spends its time at.
“Sleeping In The World’s Smallest Bed” is one of the more distinctive songs on the disc, featuring a piano, a banjo, and then the rest of the band, and has an odd swing-styled breakdown near the end of the song. Very original and good.

“My Knuckles Your Face” is probably the heaviest track here, featuring a scorching solo and some pretty angry lyrics. Killer.
“Not My Cross To Bear” is self-described by Conny Bloom as being “groove rock meets James Bond”, which is a pretty accurate description of the sound. “Sharpshooter” has some interesting bass-riffing at the outset followed by a very heavy, almost-Sabbath inspired riff that breaks down into another groovin’ track.

This remastered expanded version of the album features six additional tracks not found on the standard version. “Some Kind Of Voodoo” continues in the rocking MOUNTAIN-lke sound that “Sharpshooter” left off with, and the title track, which oddly enough is a bonus song, is melodic and with a retro feel.
The next two tracks are demos of “Mountains And Sunsets” and “Messin’ With Voodoo”, which I am guessing is what “Some Kind Of Voodoo” morphed out of. The second version of “The Groover” was recorded with a different drummer (Tony Taylor), same with the final track, “Down At The Bottom”, featuring a harmonica over another riff inspired rocker, something like Free For All’s TED NUGENT.

While ”Freewheelin”’ beefs the guitars up just a bit more than their first 2 CDs, this still is ELECTRIC BOYS which means big guitars, lots of grooves & hooks, some darn catchy choruses, and huge backing vocals.
Songwriting is better than never before, definitely the best – or at least the more elaborated – out of their trilogy of releases. A killer album all the way through, with a fantastic production as well, augmented by this fine remastering job.
Highly Recommended

1. Ready to Believe
2. Straight No Chaser
3. The Groover
4. Mountains and Sunsets
5. Sad Day
6. Nothing for Nothing
7. Sleeping in the Worlds Smallest Bed
8. My Knuckles Your Face
9. Not My Cross to Bear
10. Sharpshooter
BONUS TRACKS:
11. Some Kind of Voodoo
12. Freewheelin’
13. Mountains and Sunsets (early version)
14. Messin’ with Voodoo
15. The Groover (Tony Taylor Sessions)
16. Down at the Bottom (Tony Taylor Sessions)

Conny Bloom – guitars, lead vocals
‘Slim’ Martin – guitars, vocals
Andy Christell – bass, vocals
Thomas Broman – drums, cowbell
Tony Taylor – drums on tracks 15 and 16

BUY IT
www.amazon.de/-/en/Electric-Boys/dp/B01H7YL9WY