As I’m writing this it’s been a week since the release of Khalid’s second album, Free Spirit. The follow up to his debut American Teen, the Texas native’s second full length record includes two tracks we heard in last year’s Suncity EP. At 17 tracks long, Free Spirit has a lot to offer, including collaborations with SAFE and John Mayer. Upon first listen it is definitely a ‘Khalid’ album, there's no doubt about it. Khalid has evolved musically, but he's still himself, layering adlibs and harmonies with strong, punchy beats. The American Teen has grown up and, now twenty-one, Khalid has had an impressive three years since he hit the scene with his debut single Location. He’s had five Grammy nominations and has released impressive collaborations with Billie Eilish, Normani and Benny Blanco, to name a few.
Before the album’s release, we’d already heard six songs from the track list. Better, a solid radio-friendly R&B hit,and Saturday Nights, a country inspired acoustic guitar driven song that is probably one of the more aytpical ‘Khalid’ songs, featured on last October's Suncity. Talk and My Bad were the first new singles to be released ahead of Free Spirit; and during the week before the album’s release we heard Self, a sad confessional of his insecurities hidden behind a relaxing beat that Khalid said he had written at the “lowest point”of his life, and Don’t Pretend, the SAFE collaboration. Although it felt like we had already heard so much of the album, the remaining eleven tracks still bring us something new.
We begin with the appropriately named Intro, a layered first track, setting us up for an album full of Khalid’s 90s R&B inspired vocals. The song moves me in a way I can’t quite describe, only that it fills me with excitement of what’s to come in the next hour of listening.
As we move through the track list, we reach Right Back, a catchy tune that leaves me nostalgic for 90s beats; Paradise, a lazy summer song that seems perfectly fitting for a movie montage or a scene in Free Spirit: The Movie– more on that later; and Hundred, the track that features one of the most poignant lines in the entire album “You gotta pay to live and even dying ain't free”. The John Mayer feature, Outta My Head, is predictably one of my favourite songs on the album. As a big Mayer fan and equally big Khalid fan the song is the perfect blend of the two artists, featuring an instantly recognisable Mayer guitar solo and classic Khalid vocals.
The titular song, Free Spirit, is a beautiful summary of the theme of the album, which Khalid said was the last song he wrote for the record. It shows the inspiration to the short film that was released two days before the album. Free Spirit: The Movie was an interesting concept. Different to Beyoncé’s Lemonade, Free Spirit isn’t designed to act as a free-flowing feature length music video. The film doesn’t include many of the tracks from the album and is mainly focused on the story of Ladybug, a girl from a small town with big dreams. Although not totally necessary to the album, and not the greatest short film there ever was, it was nice to see Khalid venturing into new creative outlets, acting in a project inspired by his music.
Moving on, we reach Twenty One, Free Spirit’s take on American Teen’s 8TEEN. In 8TEEN Khalid talked about his fun and exciting teenage lifestyle, and three years later, we witness just how much his life has changed. Twenty One is still a fun track but the lyrics provide us with an insight into the anxieties and troubles that come with growing up. Bluffin' is a soulful “make-up-after-break-up song” with a steady drumbeat. Khalid said that if this song didn’t make the album, he could imagine it as part of a Fifty Shades soundtrack, if they ever made another, and I hear it; Bluffin’ is intimate.
After this, we reach a surge of emotional songs. We’ve already discussed Self, and next up is Alive, a raw, personal track with notable lines including “I shouldn't have to die to feel alive” that gives us airy falsettos, showing Khalid’s impressive range. The penultimate track, before the finale Saturday Nights, is Heaven. Penned by Father John Misty, Heaven is an emotional, dramatic song, that upon first listen moved me to tears. The feelings and issues that Khalid had discussed throughout the album seemed to hit me all at once during his angelic runs. Heaven is relatable, sadly so, and is a track I’ll always come back to when I need it.
Individually, each song on Free Spirit is strong, none disappoint, and Khalid’s vibe is present in each. Collectively, the songs work perfectly and cohesively together and although there is some variation of genres, there are no songs that sound as though they don’t belong. However, the album is long and there are a couple of songs that could have been left off the final track list. There are a few that go forgotten after a listen of the entire album and some that are highly memorable. Khalid’s sophomore album is an enjoyable listen with personal lyrics and catchy beats that make you want to dance: a great follow up to his debut.
ABOUT THE RECORD:
Release date: April 5, 2019
Label: RCA Records
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