For Free (album)
In-game article clicks load inline without leaving the challenge.
For Free is the eighth and final solo studio album by American musician David Crosby. The album was released on July 23, 2021, by Three Blind Mice and BMG Rights Management with cover art produced by Joan Baez.
The album was Crosby's final release prior to his death in January 2023.
Critical reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 84/100 |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| American Songwriter | |
| The Arts Desk | |
| Classic Rock | |
| Mojo | |
| NME | |
| PopMatters | 8/10 |
| Record Collector | |
| Rolling Stone | |
| Uncut |
For Free received generally positive reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an average score of 84, which indicates "universal acclaim", based on 11 reviews.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "River Rise" (featuring Michael McDonald) | David Crosby, James Raymond, Michael McDonald | 3:33 |
| 2. | "I Think I" | Crosby, Raymond, Steve Postell | 4:52 |
| 3. | "The Other Side of Midnight" | Raymond | 3:14 |
| 4. | "Rodriguez for a Night" | Crosby, Donald Fagen, Raymond | 3:17 |
| 5. | "Secret Dancer" | Crosby, Raymond | 3:14 |
| 6. | "Ships in the Night" | Crosby | 3:25 |
| 7. | "For Free" (featuring Sarah Jarosz) | Joni Mitchell | 3:43 |
| 8. | "Boxes" | Raymond | 4:14 |
| 9. | "Shot at Me" | Crosby, Dean Parks | 3:13 |
| 10. | "I Won't Stay for Long" | Raymond | 4:29 |
| Total length: | 37:29 |
Personnel
- David Crosby – vocals
- James Raymond – acoustic piano (1–5, 7, 8, 10), synthesizers (1–6, 8–10), synth guitar solo (1, 4), synth bass (1–3, 6, 9, 10), synth acoustic guitar (3, 8), drum programming (3), Fender Rhodes (4, 9), percussion (4), horn arrangements (4), Wurlitzer electric piano (6), backing vocals (8)
- Shawn Tubbs – guitars (1), acoustic guitar (6, 8), electric guitar (6, 8)
- Steve Postell – acoustic guitar (2), backing vocals (2), guitars (5)
- Greg Leisz – pedal steel guitar (2)
- Dean Parks – guitars (4), acoustic guitar (9), electric guitar (9)
- Andrew Ford – bass (4)
- Elijah Thomson – bass (8)
- Gary Novak – drums (1, 4–6, 9)
- Steve DiStanislao – drums (2, 10)
- Abe Laboriel Jr. – drums (8)
- Steve Tavaglione – tenor saxophone (4), EWI (10)
- Walt Fowler – trumpet (4), flugelhorn (4)
- Michael McDonald – backing vocals (1)
- Gracie Raymond – backing vocals (3)
- Becca Stevens – backing vocals (3)
- Michelle Willis – backing vocals (3, 6, 8)
- Sarah Jarosz – vocals (7)
- Brian Wilson – count-in vocal (10)
Production
- James Raymond – producer, arrangements, recording, mixing
- Dan Garcia – recording, mixing
- David Crosby – mixing
- Nate Hassely – assistant engineer
- Joel Jacks – assistant engineer
- Jason Mariani – assistant engineer
- Kaushlesh "Garry" Purohit – assistant engineer
- Shawn Tubbs – guitar recording (1, 6, 8)
- Dean Parks – guitar recording (4, 9)
- Bernie Grundman – mastering
- Louise Hendy – artwork design
- Joan Baez – sleeve artwork, original painting
- Mike Chadwick – management
Studios
- Recorded at The Bamboom Room (Altadena, California); Hz Werks (Van Nuys, California); Joel Jacks' Studio (Santa Ynez, California); Groove Masters (Santa Monica, California); Stubbs Recording (Spring Hill, Tennessee); Tomorrow's Sound Today (Memphis, Tennessee).
- Mixed at The Bamboom Room; Sunset Sound (Hollywood, California); Carbonite Sound (Ojai, California).
- Mastered at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, California).
Charts
| Chart (2021) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) | 73 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) | 35 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) | 67 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) | 48 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) | 23 |
| Italian Albums (FIMI) | 84 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC) | 10 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) | 14 |
| UK Albums (OCC) | 53 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC) | 2 |