Free Energy “Free Energy EP” Review

Free Energy, who rose from the ashes of the criminally under appreciated Minneapolis band Hockey Night, received a big boost when they were signed to the influential Death From Above record label earlier this year. This allowed the band, now based in Philadelphia, to have a chance to work with LCD Soundsystem’s (and DFA head) James Murphy on their new songs. The band retained the Pavement-y post rock sound they established with Hockey Night, but added in some eclectic influences, including some funk, glam and electronic sounds; surely influenced by Murphy. The band displays this new sound on their debut self titled EP, which was recently released online. Though it only has three tracks, the disc is long enough to establish Free Energy as a band (potentially) worthy of its hype, and short enough to make listeners want more.

The EP starts out with a bang, as the band tears into “Free Energy,” a song that has been making its way around the internet for the better part of the summer. Combined with the previously released “Dream City,” the band seems to be making a late effort to overtake Phoenix for the best one-two combo of songs that will make you forget winter is coming. Whether these two top “Lisztomania” and “1901″ is up to the listener, but you can’t really go wrong with any of them. “Free Energy” starts out with some propulsive cowbell meshing with classic rock guitars and playful lyrics sung in cool detachment by Paul Sprangers. The song encapsulates the free wheeling, coked out ’70s feel that the band achieves at its best moments.

[group shot by Rachel Leah Woliansky via Facebook]

Things slow down slightly with “Dark Trance,” which moves along with a steady bass backbone and some guitars that phase in and out, before bursting into some searing guitar solos in the break. With vocals that sound like Julian Casablancas singing a depressed Pavement song, Sprangers realizes that “You might miss that song, you may never meet that girl.” Guitarist Scott Wells (who along with Sprangers were the two members who were part of Hockey Night) lets loose near the end of the song with some funky guitar riffs that add a little spice to the end of the otherwise dark song. The EP ends with the slinky groove of “Something in Common,” which begins with a backbeat that would make Jim Eno and Britt Daniel proud. The song is the most soulful of the tracks and finds the band finding the middle ground between the boundless energy of “Free Energy” and the caliginous, funky “Dark Trance.” All three songs show the strengths the band has and should get those few people who are not excited for an upcoming Free Energy LP finally on the bandwagon.

Also: Hockey Night “Get Real” (Best of the Decade)