The Free Nationals Are Reviving Classic Soul
photo courtesy of @freenationals Instagram
The first person to ever introduce me to soul music was my dad. Growing up, his car would always be tuned in to the ’60s and ‘70s radio stations. As we drove, I experienced the absolute incredible music of that generation; however, soul music was the genre that I fell in love with. James Brown, Average White Band, Tower of Power, Sam & Dave always stood out to me amongst the classic rock and funk music mixture drifting from his large truck. As I grew older, my music taste shifted, but I never lost my affection for soul and began to branch out into other neighboring genres like jazz and RnB, but no sound has ever captured my attention in the same way that 10-year-old Kenny was hypnotized by soul music.
That is until I heard the Free Nationals.
The Free Nationals are Anderson .Paak’s “backup band.” Although some may say they were cast in the shadow of Anderson .Paak, they are some of the most talented musicians of this generation. The group consists of Kelsey Gonzalez on bass, Ron, “Tnava,” Avant on the keyboard, Callum Connor on drums, and José Rios on guitar. Choosing to stay clouded in shadows, the group’s members purposely lack a distinct individual presence, allowing the listener to focus on the group as a whole and their incredible music.
The album is a masterpiece. Their influences range from the early ‘60s soul ballads to ‘80s techno RnB. With such an intense variety, the entire album has something for every fan of soul’s many subcategories. Songs like “Beauty & Essex” and “Time, and Eternal Light” are more traditional RnB ballads with modern subjects like sex and trapping. These songs also coincidentally hold powerhouse features from Daniel Caesar, Kali Uchis, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Chronix, and a posthumous Mac Miller. “Shibuya,” “Apartment,” and “Rivington” are soul hits in the most classic sense with traditional soul chords and deep driving baselines. Songs like “On Sight,” “Gidget,” and “Oslo” truly drive the album and reinforce its ‘70s funk roots, which culminates in the best song on the album “RENE.”
This album is important because it brings a genre oversaturated with subcategories back to its roots. While evolution is good and Neo-Soul bands are incredible, there’s nothing more sonically satisfying than hearing a new band with heavy classic roots. When I listen to The Free Nationals, they bring me back to Saturday drives with my dad. The nostalgia of that timeless soul sound is something absolutely magical.