Released on 31 May 2004, Free Kicks is the fourth studio album by the critically acclaimed Melbourne power-pop trio Even. Often described as the band’s "difficult" fourth record, its creation was marked by a fragmented and prolonged recording process that saw singer-guitarist Ash Naylor, bassist Wally Kempton, and drummer Matthew Cotter tracking songs across multiple sessions in both Melbourne and the United Kingdom. Adding to its unique place in their history, Free Kicks was the only album in the band's extensive catalog not released via their long-time partner Rubber Records. Instead, the trio took full creative autonomy, self-releasing the project under their own independent imprint, El Reno Records.
Spanning 12 tracks, the record displays a fascinating tension between Even's core identity—impeccably crafted, 1960s-inspired guitar pop—and a desire to push boundaries under stressful creative conditions. While their previous releases were lauded for their immediate, sun-soaked melodic sensibilities, Free Kicks deliberately incorporates a slightly rougher, more experimental edge born from its nomadic production history. The result is a diverse and rewarding tracklist that balances urgent, driving rock anthems with some of the most reflective, mature songwriting of Naylor's career.
The album starts with a striking statement of intent through its opening track, "Thunderbird". Striking a balance between raw energy and melodic sophistication, the song reintroduces listeners to Ash Naylor's gift for writing hooks that feel simultaneously immediate and timeless. It's an opening burst that immediately addresses any fears that the album's fractured recording process might have dulled the band's sharper edges. Alongside the subsequent track, "Coming Back To Earth", the album opens by leaning into a rich, organic guitar tone that serves as the perfect sonic landscape for the trio's signature vocal harmonies.
Where Free Kicks truly differentiates itself from its predecessors, however, is in the breadth of its arrangements and stylistic choices. Tracks like "The Peasant Bar" and "Dona Maria's Farm" show a willingness to step outside the standard three-minute power-pop template. There is a looser, more adventurous spirit in the instrumentation here; the band gives the arrangements more breathing room, letting the rhythmic pocket settle into grooves that feel distinctly shaped by their years of live performances. Wally Kempton's basslines provide an exceptionally warm, fluid counter-melody throughout, ensuring that even the most experimental structures maintain a rock-solid, infectious foundation.
The second half of the record features some of the band's most urgent and compelling material, highlighted by the propulsive energy of "Need Action". It is a track built for the stage, showcasing Matthew Cotter’s crisp, driving drum fills that push Naylor's fiery guitar work into overdrive. Conversely, the back-to-back sequence of "Before My Time" and "Maybe Love" offers a beautifully vulnerable, introspective side to the album. These moments remind the listener that beneath the ringing chords and driving rock textures, Naylor remains a highly sensitive storyteller capable of capturing complex emotional shifts with just a few simple lines.
Ultimately, Free Kicks may have been a challenging record for the trio to bring to fruition, but time has proven it to be a crucial milestone in their artistic evolution. By stepping away from a major label framework to bet on themselves via El Reno Records, Even succeeded in crafting a record that sounds uncompromisingly like themselves. It acts as the perfect, slightly gritty bridge between the youthful exuberance of their early career and the pristine, hyper-refined pop mastery that would define their self-titled follow-up four years later.
Ripped to MP3
1. Thunderbird
2. Coming Back To Earth
3. The Peasant Bar
4. Now Or Ever Again
5. Rags
6. Dona Maria's Farm
7. Need Action
8. Going Against The Grain
9. Before My Time
10. Maybe Love
11. If There's No You
12. So Good So Far
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