Freedom Fence, The

Free Radicals
Self Release
Jazz | Mar 2018

Reviews

Tom McCarter
Reviewed 2018-03-24
Reviewed: 2018-03-24
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: possible on 14
Review: on their new disc, the Radicals examine the concept of borders from several different perspectives and types of music, plus they pull in 40 + musician guests to make it happen.
If You Like: Samba Da, Klezmatics,
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
1/ Chosen Ones (:40) – female vocal acapella starts> slow song> slows to fade
*2/ No State Solution (5:00) – bass starts> uptempo jam with heavy percussion> slow fade
*3/ La Frontera (1:49) – crescendo start> uptempo jam, heavy on the horns & percussion with wild guitar fluctuations> quick fade
*4/ Mosaico/Zapatista (4:16) - Peruvian flutes start> uptempo jam> quick stop
5/ Third World Not For Sale (1:12) – drums> midtempo jam with flute> quick stop
*6/ No Money No Nice (4:10) - drums start> funky reggae midtempo jam with electronics> quick fade
*7/ Build Levees Not Walls (1:53) - sax starts> uptempo jam> quick stop
8/ El Muro (w/ Krudas) (5:21) – female vocal starts> funky midtempo jam & song> quick stop
9/ Iron Curtain (1:15) – cello starts> uptempo jam with scat singing> quick fade
*10/ Song For Riley (3:30) – uptempo jam with sax & accordion> quick fade
11/ Imperial Sugar (1:06) – percussion starts> uptempo jam with theremin> quick fade
*12/ Exit At Bear, Pursued By Pig (3:06) – baritone sax starts> wild uptempo jam> off-kilter jam> quick fade
13/ Ni Una Mas! (1:13) – harp starts> midtempo jam with Middle eastern vibe> quick fade
14/ Every Wall (w/ Niyat, HISD) (4:02) -bass starts> uptempo rap song with horns> quick stop
*15/ If There Is Still Hope (3:27) – guitar starts> propulsive uptempo jam with trumpet & theremin> quick stop
16/ Anchor Baby Hysteria (1:03) – percussion solo
17/ Badme (4:00) – horns start slow & build into funky midtempo off-kilter jam> fade
*18/ Ben Taub Blues (5:49) – guitar starts> slow bluesy song with male vocal & chorus with slinky trumpet> quick fade on vocal
*19/ FEMA (4:09) – percussion starts> uptempo jam with New Orleans vibe with wailing trumpet & sax> quick stop
20/ Masihlale (1:06) – spoken word starts> uptempo jam with heavy percussion & spoken word> quick stop
*21/ The Border Crossed Me (3:53) – percussion starts> midtempo propulsive jam with snaky sax> quick stop
*22/ Mosh Hashannah (4:11) – sax starts with Middle eastern klezmer vibe> fast tempo jam swings to lightning fast> quick stop
23/ Our Streets (1:41) – tuba starts> slow echoing funky jam with percussion> slow fade

Recent airplay

Ben Taub Blues
Music CasseroleMay 24, 2025
Mosh Hashanah, The Border Crossed Me
MelangeMay 10, 2018
No State Solution
Sound LandscapesApr 19, 2018
No State Solution
Wild KingdomMar 31, 2018
Badme
Old Fart at PlayMar 31, 2018

Charting

2018-03-26 — 2018-05-28 Jazz
Week EndingAirplays
May 13 1
Apr 22 1
Apr 1 2

Track listing

1. Chosen Ones
2. No State Solution
3. La Frontera
4. Mosaico/Zapatista I
5. Third World Not For Sale
6. No Money No Nice
7. Build Levees Not Walls
8. El Muro (W/ Krudas)
9. Iron Curtain
10. Song For Riley
11. Imperial Sugar
12. Exit Al Bear, Pusued By Pig
13. Ni Una Mas!
14. Every Wall (W/ Niyal, Hsid)
15. If There's Still Hope
16. Anchor Baby Hysteria
17. Badme
18. Ben Taub Blues
19. Fema
20. Masihlale
21. The Border Crossed Me
22. Mosh Hashanah
23. Our Streets