SINGLE REVIEW: BRIAN COLLINS - FREE MAN

After a successful tour supporting Kezia Gill and a fine run of shows at C2C 2024, comes Brian Collins with a new single "Free Man" which sees him turn his soulful persona of recent into something of a rousing balladeer.

The song has a somewhat convoluted back story surrounding its inspiration, however the casual listener is not going to be aware of that, so we'll review as the listener would hear it.

The opening burst of guitars both electric and acoustic along with percussion runs for just short of 20 seconds before Brian's vocal arrives. The acoustic sets the rhythm like a balladeer, while the electric picks out little flourishes to complement. There's possibly a touch of the Glen Campbell's about him as Brian opens with

"I have walked through the valley

Of a shadow that's kept me

From finding a way through my life

Surrounded by strangers

Dead ends and danger

and empty places with no life

and you think you know who I am"

We find Brian in a contemplative mood, a lot of the lyrics could easily apply to the life of a travelling musician, it's a lifestyle of constantly being on the move surrounded by fans who have their own idealised version of what you might be like.

The second verse paints a more plausible picture of the struggles

"A boy once bright eyed

Now on a dark roadside

With only myself to rely"

The pace suddenly changes, the drumming becomes more intense, the electric guitar goes wild as Brian passionately delivers this moment of enlightenment as he questions

"Is it the future you claim

or the past that you blame my friend?

And what gives you the right

When you don't really know me at all"

The final line is delivered as the sound once more calms down. The first part of the next verse is given additional rhythm from the alliteration of the third line. The second half of the verse take the negatives of the fist half and turns them into positives, each knock back only making you stronger and leading you to who you eventually become

"I've been bruised by the stones

That people have thrown

But I harbour no hate in my heart"

Cos the stones they have thrown

They have built me a road

and this road is all that I own

So now you know who I am

Now you know who I am"

Chris Hunt's build up in drums finally leads the way to the chorus, Clay Cook's (Zac Brown Band) pounding organ joins the mix along side bass from Kevin Scott (Gov't Mule / Allman Brothers Band) and all of what has gone before has led us to this revelatory chorus, which in an unusual move is only played the once. If there's a video to come for the song you can almost picture Brian alone, atop a mountain, the rays of the sun behind him, much like on the cover picture as he sings at the top of his lungs

"I'm a free man"

The words are extended over many syllables and repeated, followed by a rousing almost celebratory cheer, built up into an anthemic choir that will lead us out.

It's the first of a string of singles set for release in 2025/26.

THE STORY BEHIND "FREE MAN" - BRIAN COLLINS

"Some songs are just about having a good time, falling in love, or moving on from a heartbreak. But then there are those that dive deep into the soul, exploring the rugged terrain of a man’s journey, both within and out in the world.

Free Man is one of those tracks. It’s about the quest for answers, even when those truths hit hard and leave their mark. This song captures the grit of facing your demons, the struggle to break free from the chains that bind you, and the resilience it takes to emerge on the other side.

Please feel free to read a short story behind Free Man. It’s not just a song; it’s an anthem for anyone on a journey to discover their true self, scars and all." - Brian Collins