Notes & Personnel Info |  | Personnel: Belinda Carlisle (vocals); Michael Landau (guitar, sitar); Rusty Anderson, Paul Jackson, Jr., Ben Schultz, Dave Alvin, Jon Ingoldsby, T.J. Parker (guitar); Eric Bazilian (mandolin); Charlie Bisharat, Juliann French (violins); Sachi McHenry (cello); Michael Kamen (oboe); Rick Knowles (keyboards, guitar, background vocals); David Munday (keyboards, drum programming, background vocals); Charles Judge, Kevin Savigar, Kim Bullard (keyboards); Eric Pressly, John Pierce (bass); Denny Fongheiser (drums); Stan Lynch (drums, percussion); Kenny Aronoff, Luis Conte (percussion); Ben Schultz (drum programming, guitars); Maria Vidal, Valerie Pinkston, Ellen Shipley, Cherryl Crowe, Debra Parson, Gia Caimbotti, Edie Lehman, Diana Grasselli, Tom Kelly, Marcy Levy, Naomi Star, Nadirah Ali (background vocals). | | Producers: Rick Nowels, Richard Feldman, Eric Pressley, David Munday. | | Engineers: John Kovarek, Ross Hogarth, Jon Ingoldsby, Greg Droman, Peter Arata, Jim Reinhardt, Steve Rinkoff. | | The former (and future?) lead singer of all-female combo the Go-Go's, Belinda Carlisle, stretches herself on this, her fourth solo album. While her catchy, smooth sound is intact, LIVE YOUR LIFE BE FREE includes some dancefloor elements, and "Half The World" features a sophisticated arrangement highlighting Spanish guitar, oboe, and mandolin. Throughout, Carlisle displays a slightly tougher, darker vocal stance, lending variety and spice to this LIFE. Accompanying performers include Dave Alvin, Eric Bazilian (the Hooters), and Sheryl Crow (then Cherryl Crowe). | | U.K. issue. | | Carlisle added a bit of dance flavor to her signature pop/rock stylings on her fourth solo set. Numbers like the catchy "Do You Feel Like I Feel" and the harder-edged "I Plead Insanity" are dancefloor-ready, yet still contain the robust vocal delivery and seeping guitar riffs necessary to please longtime fans. And the timeless melody of "Half the World" is the kind that made earlier hits like "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" and "Circle in the Sand" mainstays on radio long after their chart runs. The elegant arrangement of "Half the World," which includes Spanish guitars, mandolin and oboe, gives the song a universal appeal, whilst "Emotional Highway" has a slight Middle Eastern feel via Carlisle's sullen vocal and the moody surf guitars. Live Your Life Be Free shows the singer to be capable in a variety of musical contexts, and is a pleasing listen throughout. ~ Justin M. Kantor |
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