Free Life | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 2007 | |||
Genre | Alternative rock | |||
Length | 55:50 | |||
Label | American Recordings | |||
Producer | Dan Wilson | |||
Dan Wilson chronology | ||||
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Free Life is the solo debut album by Dan Wilson, the frontman of the rock band Semisonic. It was released on October 16, 2007 by American Recordings. Produced with Rick Rubin, Free Life was recorded in Minneapolis and Los Angeles and includes performances by Tracy Bonham, Sheryl Crow, Jason Lader, Gary Louris, Natalie Maines, Benmont Tench, Jonny Polonsky, and a number of Minneapolis-based musicians including multi-instrumentalist and frequent Semisonic sideman Ken Chastain, Eric Fawcett, John Hermanson, Joanna James, Mason Jennings, Steve Rhoem, Joe Savage, as well as Wilson's Semisonic bandmates John Munson and Jacob Slichter.
Free Life helped establish Wilson's reputation as a songwriter, with The A.V. Club writing, "the star of the show here is Wilson's remarkable instinct for creating gorgeous songs, and his unabashed, obvious joy in doing so. For anyone worried that songcraft is an endangered species, Free Life should ease those fears." [1]
Semisonic is an American rock band formed in Minneapolis in 1995, consisting of Dan Wilson, John Munson, and Jacob Slichter. They are best known in the U.S. for their 1998 top-20 single "Closing Time".
First Avenue and 7th St Entry are two historic music venues housed in the same landmark building in downtown Minneapolis. The nightclub sits on the corner of First Avenue North and 7th Street North, from which the venues get their names. The two are colloquially distinguished by locals as The Mainroom and The Entry.
Feeling Strangely Fine is the second studio album by American rock band Semisonic. It is the follow-up to the band's debut album Great Divide recorded at Seedy Underbelly Studio in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The album contains some of Semisonic's best-known songs, including the major radio hit "Closing Time", as well as the singles "Singing in My Sleep" and "Secret Smile". The song "Never You Mind" was featured in the 1999 film Never Been Kissed.
All About Chemistry is the third studio album by American rock band Semisonic, released on March 13, 2001, through MCA Records. With this release, the band failed, at least in America, to capitalize on the momentum it had generated with the song "Closing Time" from their previous album, Feeling Strangely Fine. This had a softer edge than Feeling Strangely Fine and was not as popular with the fans. By 2002, the album had sold 58,000 copies, and its poor sales partially led to the band going on an unofficial hiatus. However, it has a five star rating by Q Magazine. The track "Chemistry" was featured on the soundtrack for 40 Days and 40 Nights.
Great Divide is the debut studio album by American rock band Semisonic. It was released April 9, 1996, by MCA Records. It was produced by Paul Fox, and was recorded and mixed by Ed Thacker.
John Munson is an American musician who is best known as the bass player for Semisonic. He was also a member of Trip Shakespeare during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Daniel Dodd Wilson is an American musician, singer, songwriter, visual artist and record producer who has been called the songwriter's songwriter. His songwriting résumé includes "Closing Time," which he wrote for his band, Semisonic; "Not Ready to Make Nice," co-written with The Chicks; and "Someone Like You," co-written with Adele. Wilson's work earned him a Grammy nomination for "Closing Time" and garnered him Grammy wins for Song of the Year and Album of the Year as a producer for Adele's 21 in 2012.
Trip Shakespeare was an American rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota and active from the mid 1980s to early 1990s. The band included Dan Wilson and John Munson, who would later go on to be founding members of Semisonic.
Jacob Slichter is an American musician and academic, best known as the drummer for the rock band Semisonic.
Pleasure EP was the first release by rock band Semisonic. It was originally released in 1995 and later re-released following the success of their song "Closing Time". The title refers to the band's original name, Pleasure.
The New Standards is a minimalist jazz trio formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 2005 and composed of Chan Poling, John Munson and Steve Roehm. With Poling on piano, Munson on bass and Roehm on vibraphone, the band reinterprets songs from a wide variety of genres, from classics like Rodgers and Hammerstein's My Favorite Things to London Calling by The Clash.
"Secret Smile" is a song by American rock band Semisonic. The single, released to American radio on January 11, 1999, gained the band brief international popularity. A live version of the song recorded at The Gorge Amphitheatre, as well as a mix by the Orb had previously been released as a B-side to "Singing in My Sleep". The song was featured in the film Simply Irresistible and in the TV series Charmed and Dawson's Creek.
"Closing Time" is a song by American rock band Semisonic. It was released on March 10, 1998, as the lead single from their second studio album, Feeling Strangely Fine, and began to receive mainstream radio airplay on April 27, 1998. The ballad was written by Dan Wilson and produced by Nick Launay.
Matthew Robert "Matt" Wilson is an American singer-songwriter best known as the frontman of the band Trip Shakespeare.
"Chemistry" is a song by American rock band Semisonic. It was released as the first single on their third studio album, All About Chemistry (2001). Released to US radio on January 8, 2001, the song reached number six on the US Billboard Triple-A chart, number 21 in New Zealand, and the top 40 in Ireland and the United Kingdom.
You Know Who You Are is the eighth studio album by alternative rock band Nada Surf. It was released on the Barsuk record label on March 4, 2016.
"Singing in My Sleep" is a song by American rock band Semisonic. It was released on August 18, 1998, as the second single from their second studio album, Feeling Strangely Fine (1998). It was written by Dan Wilson and produced by Nick Launay. In the United States, it reached number 11 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and number 31 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. Two years later, in 2000, the single peaked at number 39 in the United Kingdom that March.
You're Not Alone is an EP by rock band Semisonic. Released on September 18, 2020, it is the band's first collection of new material in 19 years following their hiatus after touring 2001's All About Chemistry. The EP was preceded by the release of its title track on June 26, 2020.
"Treacherous" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her fourth studio album, Red (2012). She wrote the track with its producer, Dan Wilson. Blending styles of country and pop, "Treacherous" is a slow-burning folk ballad that builds up into a finale. Its lyrics are about a narrator's attempt to protect a fragile and dangerous relationship. A demo of the song was included in the tracklist of Red's deluxe edition.
Little Bit of Sun is the fourth full-length studio album by American alternative rock band Semisonic, released on November 3, 2023 through Pleasuresonic Recordings. It is the band's first full-length album in 22 years since All About Chemistry, and was preceded by four singles: the title track, "Grow Your Own", "The Rope", and "Out of the Dirt". It has received positive reviews from critics.