Free Nationals (album)
2019 studio album by Free Nationals
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Free Nationals is the debut album by American R&B band Free Nationals. It was released on December 13, 2019, through OBE and Empire Distribution.[1] The album features guest appearances from Mac Miller, Kali Uchis, Daniel Caesar, Anderson .Paak, T.I., JID, and MIKNNA among others. It was nominated for Best Progressive R&B Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.[2]
| Free Nationals | |
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| Studio album by | |
| Released | December 13, 2019 |
| Genres | |
| Length | 41:11 |
| Labels |
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| Singles from Free Nationals | |
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Musical style
Free Nationals has been described as classic R&B, funk and soul with a modern twist, nodding to legends like Stevie Wonder and Parliament-Funkadelic.[3]
Recording and production
The album was produced by the four Free Nationals band members. The songs were run through a tape recorder to add analogue distortion and warmth, adding to the retro feel of the album.[4] It was mixed by Callum Connor and Andrew Wuepper at The Crying Panther Studio, Los Angeles and mastered by Dave Kutch at The Mastering Palace, New York City.[5][6]
Release and promotion
Background
Free Nationals announced the album in early 2018 and it was expected to be released before 2019 however the release was delayed until December 2019. The band stated in a tweet: "The real reason it was delayed was because of our rigorous touring schedule", referring to touring with fellow musician Anderson .Paak.[7] In the same tweet, the band confirmed that the release date would be December 13, 2019.
Singles
A total of five singles were released for the album throughout 2018 and 2019.[8] The first single, 'Beauty & Essex' was released on October 9, 2018.[9] 'Time' featuring Mac Miller and Kali Uchis was released on June 12, 2019.[10] It was the first posthumous release from Mac Miller and reached number 22 on the Official New Zealand Music Chart.[11] 'On Sight' was released on September 20, 2019,[12] Eternal Light on October 15, 2019,[13] and Shibuya on November 8, 2019.[14]
Music videos
The music video for "Beauty & Essex", directed by Scott Lazer, was released on November 8, 2018.[15]
The music video for "Time" was released on August 1, 2019.[16] The colorful video was animated by BABEKÜHL, a Sydney-based creative studio.[17]
Artwork
The album's retro airbrush style artwork was created by Lexington based artist and musician Robert Beatty.[18]
Critical reception
Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 74 out of 100 based on 7 critic's reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".[25] Q Magazine stated "Free Nationals say less about the band's identity than it does their taste, skill and curatorial clout--but that's still more than plenty". Mojo said "Free Nationals' blissed-out, woozy slow-jams make for a low-key triumph". NME also reviewed the album, stating "The Free Nationals' supreme musicianship is unquestionable, but they more often than not seem to require an outside presence leading from the front to really bring it all home".[26]
Accolades
| Year | Organization | Award | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Grammy Awards | Best Progressive R&B Album | Nominated | [27] |
Track listing
All tracks are written by José Rios, Kelsey Gonzales, and Matt Merisola, with others noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Obituaries" (featuring Shafiq Husayn) |
| 2:21 |
| 2. | "Beauty & Essex" (featuring Daniel Caesar and Unknown Mortal Orchestra) |
| 4:37 |
| 3. | "On Sight" (featuring JID, Kadhja Bonet and MIKNNA) |
| 4:09 |
| 4. | "Shibuya" (featuring Syd) |
| 2:17 |
| 5. | "Apartment" (featuring Benny Sings) |
| 3:05 |
| 6. | "Gidget" (featuring Anderson .Paak and T.Nava) |
| 3:39 |
| 7. | "Rene" (featuring Callum Connor) |
| 2:30 |
| 8. | "Time" (featuring Mac Miller and Kali Uchis) | 3:30 | |
| 9. | "Cut Me a Break" (featuring T.I.) |
| 1:57 |
| 10. | "Eternal Light" (featuring Chronixx) |
| 3:14 |
| 11. | "Oslo" (featuring Callum Connor and T.Nava) |
| 3:34 |
| 12. | "Lester Diamond" |
| 2:48 |
| 13. | "The Rivington" (featuring Conway, Westside Gunn and Joyce Wrice) |
| 3:37 |
| Total length: | 41:11 | ||
Personnel
Adapted from the album's liner notes and online sources.[28]
Free Nationals
- Jose Rios
- Callum Connor
- Kelsey Gonzales
- Ron "T.Nava" Avant
Featured artists
- Mac Miller
- Anderson .Paak
- Kali Uchis
- Daniel Caesar
- MIKNNA
- Syd
- Chronixx
- Benny Sings
- Unknown Mortal Orchestra
- T.I.
- Shafiq Husayn
- Westside Gunn
- Conway the Machine
- Joyce Wrice
Other musicians
- Maurice Brown - Trumpet (track 13)
- Omar Dominick - Bass (track 7)
- Jonah Levine - Trombone (tracks 4 & 5)
- Chris Lowery - Trumpet (track 8)
- Wes Lowery - Trombone (track 8)
- Emil Martinez - Trumpet (tracks 4 & 5)
- Danny McKinnon - Guitar (tracks 2 & 10)
- Vicky Farewell Nguyen - Keyboards (track 10)
- Erwin Pierce - Saxophone (track 13)
- David Pimentel - Drum Programming, Keyboards (tracks 2, 10, 13)
- Aaron Shaw - Flute (track 8)
Production
- Dave Kutch - Mastering
- Andrew Wuepper - Mixing
Design
- Robert Beatty - Cover Art
- Anna-Marie Lopez - Photography
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[29] | Gold | 7,500‡ |
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‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||