Album Mini-review: Chicano Batman — Freedom is Free
File next to: War, Mayer Hawthorne, Sly & the Family Stone
The spirit of late-sixties psychedelic soul is alive in Chicano Batman. On this collection of twelve socially aware originals, the Los Angeles quartet – augmented with an alluring female vocal chorus – makes some of the best music of its career. Musically, Freedom is Free is an aural travelogue of the styles that inform the group’s unique approach: soul, Brazilian tropicalia and gritty L.A. funk are just a few of the styles put to use behind the songs. The silky-smooth vocals of Bardo Martinez are set against inventive arrangements like that found on the sexy groove of “Jelaousy.” Even when Martinez occasionally sings in Spanish – as on the kinetic, wah-wah guitar-filled “Flecha al Sol” – the emotional content comes through loud and clear. The title track and single “Friendship (Is a Small Boat in a Storm)” are teasers for an album full of gems.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, will be published in December 2021 by HoZac Books.