'Free Me'

9th February 2004

 

1. Free Me

2. Maybe

3. I'll Be There

4. Tomorrow

5. Breathing

6. Crickets Sing for Anamaria

7. No Sign of Life

8. Who the Hell Are You

9. Lay Your Love on Me

10. Amazing

11. You Are

12. Something So Beautiful

 

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A thread dedicated to discussion about Emma Bunton's second album 'Free Me'!

 

Emma parted company with her original record label Virgin in 2002, after the release of just one album - 'A Girl Like Me'. That same year she signed a deal with Simon Fuller's 19 Recordings. The 'Free Me' era began with the release of its title track as a single in May 2003, which entered the UK singles chart at #5. Two more singles were released in advance of the album - 'Maybe' (#6 in October 2003) and 'I'll Be There' (#7 in January 2004). This success led to a #7 peak for the 'Free Me' album in February 2004, with respectable first week sales of over 33,000 copies. One final single came in May 2004 - 'Crickets Sing for Anamaria', which reached #15. Total album sales exceeded 142,000 copies in the UK. Promotion continued into 2005 with its release in the US in January 2005 - it reached #30 in the Billboard Heatseekers Albums.

 

What are your thoughts and opinions on this album? Which tracks do you like, love, hate? What's your favourite? Were the singles the correct choices? Rate the tracks in order of favourite to least favourite.

 

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Three singles before the album must've been kinda rare then, Emma foreshadowing the million singles before the album we have in 2020 *.*

 

The only song I know well is Crickets and Issa bop

Going to have a listen to this again before I make my full verdict. But it will certainly be a positive one ❤️

Three singles before the album must've been kinda rare then, Emma foreshadowing the million singles before the album we have in 2020 *.*

 

The only song I know well is Crickets and Issa bop

Emma the trendsetter! *.*

 

I wonder how the Free Me album would have done if she'd released it directly after Maybe... :thinking: Unfortunately I can't find much sales information for October 2003. If she'd released it 2 weeks after Free Me... Sugababes - Three sold 63,000 copies at #3, and the #14 album sold 20,000+. I assume 30,000+ would have been enough for Top 10, so maybe she'd have still managed a Top 10.

 

~

 

I had to wait a couple of weeks to hear this album - I got it as a present on my 16th birthday (23rd February!). I loved it then and it still holds up as one of my favourite solo Spice albums. She really nailed the 60s throwback pop sound. It's such a sophisticated sounding album (Crickets less so... :kink: ). Definitely Emma at her artistic peak. :wub:

 

It's a shame Universal pays dust to this era. No official music video uploads, and the album isn't available to stream or buy in many countries. -_-

 

I really wish the vinyl had had a commercial release back then, not just a promotional competition item. It goes for crazy prices online. It's high time that it's reissued... I'm sure if it was released during a Record Store Day event it would sell out. I won't hold my breath...!

There was a good buzz around Emma at this time, i think people felt she was really finding her groove with her solo career with this album.

It's a shame she didn't keep it going with LIM. That album had some promise and could have potentially gone Gold had she released the right follow up singles and not given up on promotion. I love AINTK but it wasn't the right second single to sell the album at all.

 

My favourite album track from Free Me :wub: Just ahead of Breathing!

 

What about you guys? Which is your favourite?

I remember buying this from Asda during my College lunch break. Random memory alert :lol:

 

I still listen to this album often I adore Emma's vocals against the beautiful instruments, it was really well produced to give an authentic musical sound.

 

No Sign of Life or Breathing should've been the 4th single for me. That's really the only nitpick I have with the era.

 

I'll Be There has always meant a lot to me. :wub:

This album and era was almost perfect, she just picked the wrong 4th single. Not sure why she didn't do a small tour to go with it in theatres too.

Edited October 12, 20204 yr by sammy01

I made this thread just in time for us to be able to celebrate the 17th anniversary of Maybe! 17 years!! :o

 

 

:heart: An incredible song.

 

On the same day as this I came out to a friend, which was the first time I’d shared with someone how I felt! ‘Maybe’ being out on the same day is the main reason I remember this tbh! :lol: That was such a liberating day, and it got even better when I got home from school & saw that my Mum had bought me the Maybe CD single *.*

Where are the Maybe lovers :w00t:

 

 

Victoria in the audience!

 

I love the amount of effort and creativity that went into this single's visuals. Her style, the choreography... it's on another level to her other releases. It truly deserved more attention and success than it got.

Maybe definitely deserved more attention and higher chart placings than it got, the whole of the Free Me era did tbh (except CSFA which is the only dud of the album era). I say it about a lot of Solo Spice releases but Maybe is one that really stands out as being deserving at the very least of a top 5 (#1)

@1316064221944320000

Nice that Emma has also promoted its anniversary on Instagram with a swipe up link to Spotify, Apple Music and iTunes :clap: that’s what we need more of

BEST SOLO SPICE SINGLE EVER! NO DISCUSSION

Maybe really was a moment wasn't it. The song, video, performances all spot on.

 

Should've been her second number 1 for sure.

 

I’m going to try give the album a full listen tomorrow. I’m not sure I have listened to it in full.

@1316064221944320000

 

 

Love Melanie C's comment on this... "Tuuuuuuuuune" :wub:

Free Me Era was perfection :heart:

I really dislike the album cover with her mouth open like that

 

Free Me 8/10

Maybe 10/10

I’ll Be There 9/10

Tomorrow 7/10

Breathing 5/10 (don’t get the love for this on first listen)

Crickets 6/10

No Sign Of Life 7/10

Who The Hell Are You 7/10 (gave me a Blondie / Texas vibe)

Lay Your Love On Me 6/10

Amazing 7/10 (Could see this growing on me , live the instrumentation)

You Are 5/10

Something Beautiful 7/10

 

Pleasant album overall

Very romantic , bit dull in places