JAMES LEE STANLEY: Freelance Human Being (Beachwood Recordings BF2425-2)

Esteemed readers, what I’m about to say here is not hype, or exaggeration, or a manifestation of my admitted propensity to go a little overboard when talking about recordings I like. It’s simply the truth.

This is one of the most incredible recordings I’ve ever heard, musically and sonically -- one of the handful that combine sublime musicianship and superb sound. This, my friends, is one of those ultra-rare recordings that stand at the pinnacle of the recording art, the kind of masterwork you only come across once every few years and every few thousand albums.

As is the case with many of the best things that happen to us in life, I was introduced to James Lee Stanley by serendipity, circumstance, and luck. One of my co-workers is a fervent admirer of Stanley - who has recorded several albums and has been around for years--and knew of my status (such as it is) as a record reviewer. She told me how much she loved Stanley--whom I had never heard of--and suggested I might like to hear him. Naturally, I agreed--I am always open to new music and new artists, and it’s a thrill for me to be turned on to great music I’ve never heard before, as I’m sure it is for all of you too (and probably one of the main reasons you’re holding this magazine in your hands right now). Shortly thereafter, a copy of Stanley’s newly minted Freelance Human Being CD arrived in my mail, and shortly thereafter I put it in the player..

And very shortly thereafter--as in immediately--I found myself agape in slack- jawed astonishment at what I was hearing: a man and his guitar singing songs of extraordinary beauty, depth, and power, creating more musical substance and emotional profundity form just his pure, agile, expressive tenor voice and adept acoustic guitar picking than most artists are able to achieve using a full band, hundreds of takes and overdubs and a space shuttle's worth of studio devices, effects, and tricks. This man is a great artist-his songs are finely-crafted and richly-textured, with immediately memorable melodies and thoughtful and thought-provoking lyrics, and his guitar playing is simply gorgeous, alternating between subtle fingerpicking, lush chording, stark

simplicity, rhythmically-charged complexity, and many and varied shades in between. The recording was made "live" -- just Stanley singing and playing, no overdubs, punch-ins, or jive--the real thing.

Every song is a gem--really, I struggle to select any standouts, as each is so wonderful my favorites change with every listening, and each song could be a career-maker for any other artist. At this moment, my favorites are the wry "I Don’t Want to Talk About It" ("Last time should have been the last time/I don’t want to talk about it"), "Somewhere In Between,""Freeway Wine," and the breathtaking "When Love Comes Knockin’ Around"--one of the most moving and powerful songs I’ve heard, and a song that would be an instant classic if we were living in a more enlightened musical era. There’s even a playful cover of Jefferson Airplane’s venerable "Fat Angel" ("Fly Trans-Love Airways; gets you there on time").

The sound is also brilliant--amazingly clear and present, with that almost- tactile "you-are-there" quality you almost never, truly, hear in even the best recordings. You hear it here--this recording puts nothing between you and Stanley's direct-to-tape performance. The frequency response is emotional, with dynamic, articulate low end, a midrange that is as close to perfection as I've heard, and a sweet, detailed upper midrange. The recording is so well- balanced you don't "hear" it--the purity, tonal balance and lack of compression is so good you simply listen to the music without focusing on any flaws. My description isn't doing it justice, I'm afraid--really, we're talking greatness here.

I had to call the label to find out how Freelance Human Being was recorded. Wouldn't you know it--Producer Peter Lit set up two matched AKG 1000E microphones in X-Y configuration, along with a Russian condenser mike called an Octava used as a room mike. Stanley's vocals were recorded using an AKG 414 tweaked by noted microphone rebuilder Steven Paul. In addition, Stanley ran his electric-acoustic guitar (an acoustic guitar with a built-in pickup) directly into the board to blend with the microphone sound on some tracks, and used some added echo and time-delay effects on a couple of cuts. According to Beachwood Recordings' Stephen Chandler, the album was recorded "live," as Stanley believes this is the only way to get that "special synergy" that is inevitably lost when vocals and guitar are tracked at different times. He's not the only one who says this--what is captured here are stunning performances, not merely good "cuts".

Believe it: Freelance Human Being is a masterpiece in every respect. Truly this is one of the all-time greats and one of the finest recordings I've ever been privileged to hear.

Special note to Star Trek: Voyager fans: James Lee Stanley often plays one of Odo's Bejorian security guards on the show. He has also played a variety of other roles, including the Singing Klingon in the show's 1997 season premier.

Many thanks to Char for transcribing the article! :)