Single Review: Chasing Grace – ‘Free’
2 min read
Old school friends Phil Plested, Matt Holmes, Phil Leigh and Grace Ackerman, aka Chasing Grace, are blessing our ears with their latest single, Free. This track proves just as exciting as the UK group’s powerful debut EP Dinner Will Be Served (released last year), continuing with their trademark lead vocalist swap and breathtaking melodies. Please, whatever you do, don’t forget to notice the beautiful harmonies; they seal the deal and create this wonderful atmosphere you can hear and feel throughout the song.
Free’s instrumentation is perfect for a pop song of its calibre, we are welcomed by a quiet soundscape led by piano, before being introduced to the intriguing guitar riff that carries us into the first verse. Cue in the drum beat and vocals, and soon we are being told a story seemingly about the self actualization of the protagonist.
As the story intensifies, so does the arrangement with a dynamic pre-chorus before the slightest of silences confining the tune, only to free itself into this roaring lion of a chorus that just oozes liberation. You can’t help but think that building up to a chorus this amazing must be what it feels like to be free. The beat remains for the second verse, however we are instantly refreshed by Plested’s wonderful vocals continuing the tale. The bridge is toned down with minimal drumbeats and emphasis on the chords played by the piano and notes bellowed by the vocals; soon we are brought back into that killer chorus to sum the track up.
Free is an enlightening triumph for Chasing Grace, they have successfully stuck to the sound that was present in their previous releases; which isn’t a bad thing either, the band sound fantastic. The song is captivating and with each listen there is no easy indication of any dull moment. Lyrically and melodically, Free is a masterpiece and the group should be very proud of this release.
