When I'm Free by Hot Rize, released in 2014, marked the band's return after years of occasional reunions, and it stands as one of their strongest studio statements. Hot Rize — Tim O'Brien, Pete Wernick, Nick Forster, and Bryan Sutton replacing the late Charles Sawtelle — had defined progressive bluegrass in the 1980s through a combination of traditional chops and an openness to outside influences. This album confirms that the intervening decades only deepened the ensemble's musicianship. "I Am the Road" and "You Were on My Mind this Morning" represent the band's gift for original material that sounds both contemporary and rooted. O'Brien's voice and songwriting remain central, and Wernick's banjo playing is as propulsive as ever. When I'm Free earned a Grammy nomination and reminded listeners why Hot Rize's reputation has endured.
Tracklist
- 1 Western Skies 2:42
- 2 Blue Is Fallin' 4:05
- 3 Come Away 3:44
- 4 Sky Rider 2:37
- 5 You Were on My Mind this Morning Source Recording 3:02
- 6 Doggone 2:33
- 7 A Cowboy's Life 3:41
- 8 I Never Met a One Like You 2:59
- 9 Burn It Down 3:16
- 10 Glory in the Meeting House Source Recording 2:59
- 11 I Am the Road Source Recording 3:24
- 12 Clary Mae 3:02
