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{{Use British English|date=February 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox album
{{Infobox album
| name = Free Peace Sweet
| name = Free Peace Sweet
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| artist = [[Dodgy]]
| artist = [[Dodgy]]
| cover = FreePeaceSweet.jpg
| cover = FreePeaceSweet.jpg
| alt = A closeup of a tree trunk in a field with the album's title engraved on it
| alt =
| released = 17 June 1996
| released = 17 June 1996
| recorded =
| studio = {{flatlist|
| studio = {{flatlist|
* [[Wessex Sound Studios|Wessex Sound]]
* [[Wessex Sound Studios|Wessex Sound]]
Line 17: Line 18:
| prev_title = [[Homegrown (Dodgy album)|Homegrown]]
| prev_title = [[Homegrown (Dodgy album)|Homegrown]]
| prev_year = 1994
| prev_year = 1994
| next_title = Real Estate
| next_title = [[Real Estate (Dodgy album)|Real Estate]]
| next_year = 2001
| next_year = 2001
| misc = {{Singles
| misc = {{Singles
| name =
| name = Free Peace Sweet
| type = studio
| type = studio
| single1 = In a Room
| single1 = In a Room
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}}
}}
}}
}}
'''''Free Peace Sweet''''' is the third studio album by English [[Rock music|rock]] band [[Dodgy]]. The track "Homegrown" was given the same name as the band's previous album.
'''''Free Peace Sweet''''' is the third studio album by English [[Rock music|rock]] band [[Dodgy]]. It was released on 17 June 1996 through [[A&M Records]]. Following frequent touring in the support of their second studio album ''[[Homegrown (Dodgy album)|Homegrown]]'' (1994), the band recorded its follow-up in [[Wessex Sound Studios]] in London with producer [[Hugh Jones (producer)|Hugh Jones]]. Additional recording was later done at Battery and Orinoco Studios.

''Free Peace Sweet'' received generally favourable reviews from [[Music critic|critics]], some of who saw it as a strong but underwhelming collection of songs. The album reached number seven in the [[UK Albums Chart]], eventually being certified platinum by the [[British Phonographic Industry]] (BPI). Out of all its [[Single (music)|singles]], "[[Good Enough (Dodgy song)|Good Enough]]" peaked the highest at number 4 in the UK. Bookending a three month UK tour, "In a Room" and "Good Enough" was released as the album's first two singles in May and July 1996, respectively. "If You're Thinking of Me" and "Found You" followed as the third and fourth singles in November 1996 and March 1997. "Good Enough" would be certified silver by the BPI in 2015.


==Background and recording==
==Background and recording==
Dodgy released their second studio album ''[[Homegrown (Dodgy album)|Homegrown]]'' in October 1994.<ref name=AMbio>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dodgy-mn0000172205/biography|title=Dodgy Biography, Songs, & Albums|publisher=AllMusic|author=Erlewine, Stephen Thomas|authorlink=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|access-date=26 February 2022}}</ref> It peaked at number 28 on the [[UK Albums Chart]]; all of its singles peaked within the UK top 40, with an alternative version of "Staying Out for the Summer" reaching the highest at number 19.<ref name=UKhistory>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/28838/dodgy/|title=Dodgy {{!}} full Official Chart History|publisher=[[Official Charts Company]]|accessdate=26 February 2022}}</ref> The album was promoted with a UK tour at the end of 1994, and constant touring throughout 1995.<ref name=AMbio/><ref>Miller 2022, p. 38</ref> ''Free Peace Sweet'' was produced by [[Hugh Jones (producer)|Hugh Jones]] at [[Wessex Sound Studios]] in London with engineer Robin Evans.<ref name=FPSbooklet/> They picked this studio so that Clark could return to his family each night.<ref name=Miller27/>
Dodgy released their second studio album ''[[Homegrown (Dodgy album)|Homegrown]]'' in October 1994.<ref name=AMbio>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dodgy-mn0000172205/biography|title=Dodgy Biography, Songs, & Albums|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|author=Erlewine, Stephen Thomas|authorlink=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|access-date=26 February 2022|archive-date=8 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170308051556/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/dodgy-mn0000172205/biography|url-status=live}}</ref> It peaked at number 28 on the [[UK Albums Chart]]; all of its [[Single (music)|singles]] peaked within the UK top 40, with an alternative version of "Staying Out for the Summer" reaching the highest at number 19.<ref name=UKhistory>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/28838/dodgy/|title=Dodgy {{!}} full Official Chart History|publisher=[[Official Charts Company]]|accessdate=26 February 2022|archive-date=6 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206125453/https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/28838/dodgy/|url-status=live}}</ref> The album was promoted with a UK tour at the end of 1994, and constant touring throughout 1995, which included their first tour to mainland Europe and Japan, as well as supporting [[the Cranberries]] in the UK.<ref name=AMbio/><ref>Miller 2022, p. 38</ref><ref>Double 1996, p. 20</ref> Frontman Nigel Clark lived in a flat in [[Primrose Hill]] with his pregnant wife; he wrote new material and demoed songs on a [[TASCAM]] [[Multitrack recording|four-track]] recorder.<ref name=SWGood>{{cite web|url=https://www.songwritingmagazine.co.uk/how-i-wrote/good-enough-dodgy|title=How I wrote 'Good Enough' by Dodgy's Nigel Clarkwork=Songwriting|author=Haskell, Duncan|date=26 April 2018|accessdate=27 February 2022|archive-date=29 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211129121722/https://www.songwritingmagazine.co.uk/how-i-wrote/good-enough-dodgy|url-status=live}}</ref> They had 35 songs in the running for inclusion on their next album, which were eventually whittled down.<ref>Double 1996, p. 18</ref> ''Free Peace Sweet'' was produced by [[Hugh Jones (producer)|Hugh Jones]] at [[Wessex Sound Studios]] in London with engineer Robin Evans.<ref name=FPSbooklet/>


While ''Homegrown'' was recorded with a basic band set up, for ''Free Peace Sweet'', they used different methods of recording.<ref name=Miller25/> For "Ain't No Longer Asking", this meant set up with a [[Public address system|PA system]], playing the drum track through this and recording the output.<ref name=Miller26>Miller 2022, p. 26</ref> Additional recording was done at Battery and Orinoco Studios, both which served as the mixing locations for the recordings. Jones did the mixes with engineer Helen Woodward, before the album was mastered by Ian Cooper at [[Metropolis Group|Metropolis Studios]] with digital editing done by Crispin Murray.<ref name=FPSbooklet/>
They picked this studio so that Clark could return to his family each night, having moved to the [[Stoke Newington]] district of London.<ref name=Miller27/> The close proximity also enabled Clark to spend evenings writing more material with the intention of showing the other members his work the very next day.<ref name=SWGood/> While ''Homegrown'' was recorded with a basic band set up, for ''Free Peace Sweet'', they used different methods of recording.<ref name=Miller25/> For "Ain't No Longer Asking", this meant set up with a [[Public address system|PA system]], playing the drum track through this and recording the output.<ref name=Miller26>Miller 2022, p. 26</ref> Additional recording was done at Battery and Orinoco Studios, both which served as the mixing locations for the recordings. Jones did the mixes with engineer Helen Woodward, before the album was mastered by Ian Cooper at [[Metropolis Group|Metropolis Studios]] with digital editing done by Crispin Murray.<ref name=FPSbooklet/>


==Composition and lyrics==
==Composition and lyrics==
''Free Peace Sweet'' is a [[Britpop]] album that takes influence from the works of [[Beastie Boys]], [[Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young|Crosby, Stills & Nash]] and [[Dr. John]].<ref name=NMEreview/> Long-term live member Richard Payne contributed keyboards throughout the album. Jerome de Pietro did additional programming and remixing on interlude pieces and "Intro". An ensemble of brass players, under the name The Kick Horns, appeared on "In a Room", "Good Enough", "Jack the Lad" and "Homegrown". They consisted of Tim Sanders, Neil Sidwell, Roddy Lorimer and Simon Clarke. Janet Ramus and Michele Douglas sung additional vocals on "You've Gotta Look Up", "If You're Thinking of Me" and "Prey for Drinking". [[Nick Ingman]] arranged the strings that are heard on "If You're Thinking of Me", "One of Those Rivers" and "Long Life".<ref name=FPSbooklet/>
''Free Peace Sweet'' is a [[Britpop]] album that takes influence from the works of [[Beastie Boys]], [[Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young|Crosby, Stills & Nash]] and [[Dr. John]].<ref name=NMEreview/> Long-term live member Richard Payne contributed keyboards throughout the album. Jerome de Pietro did additional programming and remixing on interlude pieces and "Intro". An ensemble of brass players, under the name The Kick Horns, appeared on "In a Room", "Good Enough", "Jack the Lad" and "Homegrown". They consisted of Tim Sanders, Neil Sidwell, Roddy Lorimer and Simon Clarke. Janet Ramus and Michele Douglas of the [[London Community Gospel Choir]] sung additional vocals on "You've Gotta Look Up", "If You're Thinking of Me" and "Prey for Drinking". [[Nick Ingman]] arranged the strings that are heard on "If You're Thinking of Me", "One of Those Rivers" and "Long Life".<ref name=FPSbooklet/>

"In a Room" originally had a slower tempo, giving the song [[Neil Young]]-esque feel to it, until one of the members suggested playing it faster.<ref name=Miller25/> Both it and "Trust in Time" incorporate influence from the work of [[the Who]].<ref name=TITreview/> The band came up with the drum pattern for "You've Gotta Look Up" after visiting a [[Go-go dancing|go-go club]].<ref name=Miller25/> Guitarist Andy Miller theorised that the vibraphone solo, which was performed by Teena Lyle, might have been inspired by "[[A Girl Like You (Edwyn Collins song)|A Girl Like You]]" (1994) by [[Edwyn Collins]].<ref name=FPSbooklet/><ref name=Miller25/> The track was an example of Clark coming up with the chorus and version lyrics and drummer Matthew Priest would help finish them; Miller said this happened previously with the ''Homegrown'' songs "Making the Most Of..." and "So Let Me Go Far".<ref name=Miller25/>


"In a Room" originally had a slower tempo, giving the song [[Neil Young]]-esque feel to it, until one of the members suggested playing it faster.<ref name=Miller25/> Both it and "Trust in Time" incorporate influence from the work of [[the Who]].<ref name=TITreview/> The band came up with the drum pattern for "You've Gotta Look Up" after visiting a [[Go-go dancing|go-go club]].<ref name=Miller25/> Miller theorised that the vibraphone solo, which was performed by Teena Lyle, might have been inspired by "[[A Girl Like You (Edwyn Collins song)|A Girl Like You]]" (1994) by [[Edwyn Collins]].<ref name=FPSbooklet/><ref name=Miller25/> The track was an example of Clark coming up with the chorus and version lyrics and Priest would help finish them; Miller said this happened previously with the ''Homegrown'' songs "Making the Most Of..." and "So Let Me Go Far". The final version of "Good Enough" evolved from a demo that Clark made, which featured a [[Lee Dorsey]] [[Loop (music)|loop]]. Priest came up with the drum pattern during a break at Wessex Sound Studios, which Clark, Miller and Jones overheard. They promptly expanded on this to a full song.<ref name=Miller25>Miller 2022, p. 25</ref>
The final version of "Good Enough" evolved from a demo that Clark made, which featured a [[Lee Dorsey]] drum [[Loop (music)|loop]]. Clark wanted the song to have a positive atmosphere akin to ''[[Kaya (album)|Kaya]]'' (1978) by [[Bob Marley]], which is one of Clark's favourite albums. He also drew influence from the music of [[Karen Carpenter]] and [[George Harrison]].<ref name=SWGood/> Priest came up with the drum pattern during a break at Wessex Sound Studios, which Clark, Miller and Jones overheard. They promptly expanded on this to a full song.<ref name=Miller25>Miller 2022, p. 25</ref> "Ain't No Longer Asking" comes across as a mix of "[[Loser (Beck song)|Loser]]" (1993) by [[Beck]] and "[[Rocks (song)|Rocks]]" (1994) by [[Primal Scream]].<ref name=MMreview/>


Discussing "One of Those Rivers", Miller said when they were driving through Scotland, their tour manager would take an alternate route via [[Northumberland]]. On one occasion, Priest commented on the view he was witnessing; Clark wrote some words down and showed Priest a few months later. He came up with the first verse of what would become "One of Those Rivers", with Priest writing the other verses.<ref name=Miller27/> Tim Kent of [[the Rockingbirds]] contributed banjo to the song.<ref name=FPSbooklet/> "Prey for Drinking", "Jack the Lad" and "Long Life" form a [[Suite (music)|musical suite]]. "Jack the Lad" dated from five years prior, when their manager once sent the band to a farmhouse in [[Hendre-Ddu Tramway|Hendre-Ddu]], Wales, where they came up with the basic form of the song.<ref name=Miller26/>
Discussing "One of Those Rivers", Miller said when they were driving through Scotland, their tour manager would take an alternate route via [[Northumberland]]. On one occasion, Priest commented on the view he was witnessing; Clark wrote some words down and showed Priest a few months later. He came up with the first verse of what would become "One of Those Rivers", with Priest writing the other verses.<ref name=Miller27/> Tim Kent of [[the Rockingbirds]] contributed banjo to the song.<ref name=FPSbooklet/> "Prey for Drinking", "Jack the Lad" and "Long Life" form a [[Suite (music)|musical suite]]. "Jack the Lad" dated from five years prior, when their manager once sent the band to a farmhouse in [[Hendre-Ddu Tramway|Hendre-Ddu]], Wales, where they came up with the basic form of the song.<ref name=Miller26/> ''Consumable Online'' writer Tim Kennedy said the song's lyrics "appear to refer to a certain lad's excess and bad behaviour leading to the inevitable".<ref name=COreview/>


Miller thought Clark had his first child in mind when writing "Long Life", alongside ''[[Animal Farm]]'' (1944) by [[George Orwell]]. "U.K.R.I.P." retreads the lyrical theme of "Grand Old English Oak Tree" from their debut studio album ''[[The Dodgy Album]]'' (1993), with an emphasis on what Miller saw as "trying to distance ourselves from the jingoistic, xenophobic bullshit that Britpop was throwing up". He thought they were evoking [[the Clash]] "via [[The Future Sound of London|Future Sound of London]] and maybe Senser". Priest wrote the song's chorus and second verse, while Clark wrote the first verse. "Homegrown" was written before the band's album of the same name and did not fit within the rest of that material. They had previously recorded a version of the song at the Tardis studio in Liverpool; as they were unable to replicate of it during the ''Free Peace Sweet'' sessions, they opted to take portions of that original recording.<ref name=Miller27>Miller 2022, p. 27</ref>
Miller thought Clark had his son in mind when writing "Long Life", alongside ''[[Animal Farm]]'' (1944) by [[George Orwell]]. "U.K.R.I.P." retreads the lyrical theme of "Grand Old English Oak Tree" from their debut studio album ''[[The Dodgy Album]]'' (1993), with an emphasis on what Miller saw as "trying to distance ourselves from the jingoistic, xenophobic bullshit that Britpop was throwing up". He thought they were evoking [[the Clash]] "via [[The Future Sound of London|Future Sound of London]] and maybe Senser". Priest wrote the song's chorus and second verse, while Clark wrote the first verse. The album's closing track "Homegrown" was written before the band's album of the same name and did not fit within the rest of that material. They had previously recorded a version of the song at the Tardis studio in Liverpool; as they were unable to replicate of it during the ''Free Peace Sweet'' sessions, they opted to take portions of that original recording.<ref name=Miller27>Miller 2022, p. 27</ref>


==Release==
==Release==
"In a Room" was released as a single on 27 May 1996.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Dodgy&titel=In+A+Room&cat=s|title=Dodgy - In A Room|publisher=Swedishcharts.com|access-date=26 February 2022}}</ref> The [[Phonograph record|7-inch vinyl]] version included "Out Clubbing", while the CD version featured "Self Doubt", an acoustic version of "Long Life" and a remix of "U.K.R.I.P." renamed "Jungle UK (No Rest in Peace)".<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title="In a Room"|others=Dodgy|year=1996|type=sleeve|publisher=A&M Records|id=581 624-7}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes|title="In a Room"|others=Dodgy|year=1996|type=sleeve|publisher=A&M Records|id=581 625 - 2}}</ref> ''Free Peace Sweet'' was released on 17 June 1996 through [[A&M Records]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=Advert|journal=Select|issue=68|date=July 1996|issn=0959-8367}}</ref><ref name="Billboard"/> The artwork features a tree, which is a reference to "Grand Old English Oak Tree".<ref name=NMEreview/> The vinyl version has two extra songs: "Is It Me" and "Grateful Moon". The album's title is a pun on [[couch|three-piece suite]]. [[Mercury Records]] was planning on releasing the album in the US in March 1997, before being pushed back to May to eventually being shelved.<ref name="Billboard"/> Dodgy's co-manager Dave Crompton commented that Mercury planned on releasing a single first but the band was against it, saying: "We think their attitude was, 'We'll put it out and see what happens,' and we said, 'We want to have a career. We've got one in England and Europe, and we want one in the U.S. as well.{{single double}}<ref name="Billboard"/> The band eventually parted ways with Mercury. Crompton and partner Andrew Winters were aiming to find a new label to release the album in the summer.<ref name="Billboard"/>
"In a Room" was released as the [[lead single]] from ''Free Peace Sweet'' on 27 May 1996.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Dodgy&titel=In+A+Room&cat=s|title=Dodgy - In A Room|publisher=Swedishcharts.com|access-date=26 February 2022}}</ref> The [[Phonograph record|7-inch vinyl]] version included "Out Clubbing", while the CD version featured "Self Doubt", an acoustic version of "Long Life" and a remix of "U.K.R.I.P." renamed "Jungle UK (No Rest in Peace)", which was done by Pietro and [[LCD Soundsystem|Phil Mossman]].<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title="In a Room"|others=Dodgy|year=1996|type=sleeve|publisher=A&M Records|id=581 624-7}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes|title="In a Room"|others=Dodgy|year=1996|type=sleeve|publisher=A&M Records|id=581 625 - 2}}</ref> The single was promoted with a short, four date tour of the UK, running into early June 1996.<ref>Miller 2022, p. 8</ref> ''Free Peace Sweet'' was released on 17 June 1996 through [[A&M Records]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=Advert|journal=[[Select (magazine)|Select]]|issue=68|date=July 1996|issn=0959-8367}}</ref><ref name="Billboard"/> The artwork features a tree, which is a reference to "Grand Old English Oak Tree".<ref name=NMEreview/> The vinyl version included two extra songs, namely, "Is It Me?" (at the end) and "Grateful Moon" (after "Good Enough").<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Free Peace Sweet|others=Dodgy|year=1996|type=sleeve|publisher=A&M Records|id=540573-1}}</ref> Between July and September 1996, the band embarked on The Summer Big Top Trip tour across the UK, which included an appearance on the main stage of the [[Reading and Leeds Festivals|Reading Festival]], with a variety of supporting acts.<ref>Miller 2022, p. 11</ref><ref>Watson 1996, p. 16</ref> "Good Enough" was released as a single on 29 July 1996.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Dodgy&titel=Good+Enough&cat=s|title=Dodgy - Good Enough|publisher=Swedishcharts.com|access-date=26 February 2022|archive-date=27 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227131056/https://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Dodgy&titel=Good+Enough&cat=s|url-status=live}}</ref> The 7-inch vinyl version included "Nutters", while the CD version featured "Speaking in Tongues" and "Lovebirds on Katovit".<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title="Good Enough"|others=Dodgy|year=1996|type=sleeve|publisher=A&M Records|id=581 814-7}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes|title="Good Enough"|others=Dodgy|year=1996|type=sleeve|publisher=A&M Records|id=581 815-2}}</ref> The music video for "Good Enough" was planned to be filmed in India, before it was ultimately shot in Jamaica.<ref name=Miller25/> "If You're Thinking of Me" was released as a single on 4 November 1996.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Dodgy&titel=If+You%27re+Thinking+Of+Me&cat=s|title=Dodgy - If You're Thinking of Me|publisher=Swedishcharts.com|access-date=26 February 2022|archive-date=27 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227131057/https://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Dodgy&titel=If+You%27re+Thinking+Of+Me&cat=s|url-status=live}}</ref> The 7-inch vinyl version included a live acoustic version of "In a Room", while the CD version featured "Pebblemilljam", "Forever Remain" and an alternative version of "Good Enough".<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title="If You're Thinking of Me"|others=Dodgy|year=1996|type=sleeve|publisher=A&M Records|id=581 998-7}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes|title="If You're Thinking of Me"|others=Dodgy|year=1996|type=sleeve|publisher=A&M Records|id=581 999-2}}</ref> The music video for "If You're Thinking of Me" was filmed in Malta in a pool that was set up specially for filming.<ref name=Miller25/>


Between July and September 1996, the band embarked on The Summer Big Top Trip tour across the UK.<ref>Miller 2022, p. 11</ref> "Good Enough" was released as a single on 29 July 1996.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Dodgy&titel=Good+Enough&cat=s|title=Dodgy - Good Enough|publisher=Swedishcharts.com|access-date=26 February 2022}}</ref> The 7-inch vinyl version included "Nutters", while the CD version featured "Speaking in Tongues" and "Lovebirds on Katovit".<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title="Good Enough"|others=Dodgy|year=1996|type=sleeve|publisher=A&M Records|id=581 814-7}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes|title="Good Enough"|others=Dodgy|year=1996|type=sleeve|publisher=A&M Records|id=581 815-2}}</ref> The music video for "Good Enough" was planned to be filmed in India, before it was ultimately shot in Jamaica.<ref name=Miller25/> "If You're Thinking of Me" was released as a single on 4 November 1996.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Dodgy&titel=If+You%27re+Thinking+Of+Me&cat=s|title=Dodgy - If You're Thinking of Me|publisher=Swedishcharts.com|access-date=26 February 2022}}</ref> The 7-inch vinyl version included a live acoustic version of "In a Room", while the CD version featured "Pebblemilljam", "Forever Remain" and an alternative version of "Good Enough".<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title="If You're Thinking of Me"|others=Dodgy|year=1996|type=sleeve|publisher=A&M Records|id=581 998-7}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes|title="If You're Thinking of Me"|others=Dodgy|year=1996|type=sleeve|publisher=A&M Records|id=581 999-2}}</ref> The music video for "If You're Thinking of Me" was filmed in Malta in a pool that was set up specially for filming.<ref name=Miller25/> "Found You" was released as a single on 3 March 1997; "You've Gotta Look Up" was in the running to be the fourth single, until "Found You" was ultimately chosen.<ref name=Miller25/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Dodgy&titel=Found+You&cat=s|title=Dodgy - Found You|publisher=Swedishcharts.com|access-date=26 February 2022}}</ref> The 7-inch vinyl version included a cover of the [[Small Faces]]' song "[[I Can't Make It]]" (1967) and a cover of [[the Beatles]]' "[[Revolution (Beatles song)|Revolution]]" (1968), while the CD version featured "I Can't Make It", a live version of "Stand by Yourself" and an alternative version of "Found You".<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title="Found You"|others=Dodgy|year=1997|type=sleeve|publisher=A&M Records|id=582 132-7}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes|title="Found You"|others=Dodgy|year=1997|type=sleeve|publisher=A&M Records|id=582 133-2}}</ref> The music video for "Found You" was filmed in [[Andorra]] and centred around snowboarding.<ref name=Miller26/>
"Found You" was released as a single on 3 March 1997; "You've Gotta Look Up" was in the running to be the fourth single, until "Found You" was ultimately chosen.<ref name=Miller25/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Dodgy&titel=Found+You&cat=s|title=Dodgy - Found You|publisher=Swedishcharts.com|access-date=26 February 2022|archive-date=27 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227131057/https://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Dodgy&titel=Found+You&cat=s|url-status=live}}</ref> The 7-inch vinyl version included a cover of the [[Small Faces]]' song "[[I Can't Make It]]" (1967) and a cover of [[the Beatles]]' "[[Revolution (Beatles song)|Revolution]]" (1968), while the CD version featured "I Can't Make It", a live version of "Stand by Yourself" and an alternative version of "Found You".<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title="Found You"|others=Dodgy|year=1997|type=sleeve|publisher=A&M Records|id=582 132-7}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes|title="Found You"|others=Dodgy|year=1997|type=sleeve|publisher=A&M Records|id=582 133-2}}</ref> The music video for "Found You" was filmed in [[Andorra]] and centred around snowboarding.<ref name=Miller26/> [[Mercury Records]] was planning on releasing the album in the US in March 1997, before being pushed back to May to eventually being shelved.<ref name="Billboard"/> Dodgy's co-manager Dave Crompton commented that Mercury planned on releasing a single first but the band was against it, saying: "We think their attitude was, 'We'll put it out and see what happens,' and we said, 'We want to have a career. We've got one in England and Europe, and we want one in the U.S. as well.{{single double}}<ref name="Billboard"/> The band eventually parted ways with Mercury; Crompton and partner Andrew Winters were aiming to find a new label to release the album later in the year.<ref name="Billboard"/>

A&M Records released the ''Free Peace Sweet: The Singles Collection'' in 1997, which was a box set that encouraged fans to collect all of the singles on CD. It included an exclusive live CD; "In a Room" was recorded at [[MTV]], while "Trust in Time", "Big Brown Moon" and "Homegrown" were recorded at the [[University of East Anglia]] in Norwich.<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Free Peace Sweet: The Singles Collection|others=Dodgy|year=1997|type=sleeve|publisher=A&M Records|id=582 299-2}}</ref> "In a Room", "If You're Thinking of Me", "Good Enough", "Ain't No Longer Asking" and "Found You" were included on the band's first compilation album ''Ace A's + Killer B's'' (1999).<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Ace A's + Killer B's|others=Dodgy|year=1999|type=booklet|publisher=[[Mercury Records|Mercury]]/A&M Records|id=541 018-2}}</ref> "In a Room", "Good Enough", "Found You" and "Homegrown" were included on the band's second compilation album ''The Collection'' (2004).<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=The Collection|others=Dodgy|year=2004|type=booklet|publisher=[[Universal Music Group|Spectrum Music]]|id=981 365-6}}</ref> "In a Room", "If You're Thinking of Me", "Good Enough", "Ain't No Longer Asking", "Found You" and "Homegrown" were included on the band's third compilation album ''Good Enough: The Very Best Of'' (2013).<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Good Enough: The Very Best Of|others=Dodgy|year=2013|type=booklet|publisher=Spectrum Music|id=SPEC2150}}</ref>


==Reception==
==Reception==
{{Album ratings
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name=AMreview>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/free-peace-sweet-mw0000617519|title=Free Peace Sweet - Dodgy / Songs, Reviews, Credits|publisher=AllMusic|author=Erlewine, Stephen Thomas|access-date=26 February 2022}}</ref>
| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name=AMreview>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/free-peace-sweet-mw0000617519|title=Free Peace Sweet - Dodgy / Songs, Reviews, Credits|publisher=AllMusic|author=Erlewine, Stephen Thomas|access-date=26 February 2022|archive-date=5 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211205000515/https://www.allmusic.com/album/free-peace-sweet-mw0000617519|url-status=live}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[The Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]''
| rev3 = ''[[The Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]''
| rev3score = {{rating|3|5}}<ref name="CL">Larkin 2006, pp. 734–5</ref>
| rev3score = {{rating|3|5}}<ref name="CL">Larkin 2006, pp. 734–5</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[NME]]''
| rev5 = ''[[NME]]''
| rev5score = 7/10<ref name=NMEreview>{{cite web|url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19980101001150reviews.htmll|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20000817212919/http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19980101001150reviews.html|title=Dodgy Free Peace Sweet|work=[[NME]]|author=Moody, Paul|archivedate=17 August 2000|accessdate=26 February 2022}}</ref>
| rev5score = 7/10<ref name=NMEreview>{{cite web|url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19980101001150reviews.htmll|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20000817212919/http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19980101001150reviews.html|title=Dodgy Free Peace Sweet|work=[[NME]]|author=Moody, Paul|archivedate=17 August 2000|accessdate=26 February 2022|url-status=live}}</ref>
}}
}}
''Free Peace Sweet'' was met with generally favourable reviews from [[Music journalism|music critics]]. In a review for [[AllMusic]], critic [[Stephen Thomas Erlewine]] found ''Free Peace Sweet'' to not be as "consistently engaging" as its predecessor, and while the their "style is beginning to sound a bit formulaic," he could not deny that they had an "infectious, exciting sound that makes the similarities between their albums forgivable".<ref name=AMreview/> ''[[NME]]'' writer Paul Moody thought it was an "exact DNA progression" from their previous two releases; he noted that while there was a variety of musical influences, the album "never threatens to be anything other than a superior example of Bandus Britpopus".<ref name=NMEreview/> Kevin Courtney of ''[[The Irish Times]]'' said the band had "traded in their fried out old transit van in a hid to get a seat on the bright, shiny Britpop bus, and there's no longer a faint whiff of Crust wafting in the air around them".<ref name=TITreview>{{cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/rock-1.70936|title=Rock|work=[[The Irish Times]]|author=Courtney, Kevin|date=26 July 1996|accessdate=27 February 2022}}</ref> In his collection ''[[The Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]'', [[Colin Larkin]] considered it a "solid album containing some memorable songs", though it "fell short of the greatness that many had expected".<ref name="CL"/>
''Free Peace Sweet'' was met with generally favourable reviews from [[Music journalism|music critics]]. In a review for [[AllMusic]], critic [[Stephen Thomas Erlewine]] found ''Free Peace Sweet'' to not be as "consistently engaging" as its predecessor, and while their "style is beginning to sound a bit formulaic," he could not deny that they had an "infectious, exciting sound that makes the similarities between their albums forgivable".<ref name=AMreview/> ''[[NME]]'' writer Paul Moody thought it was an "exact DNA progression" from their previous two releases; he noted that while there was a variety of musical influences, the album "never threatens to be anything other than a superior example of Bandus Britpopus".<ref name=NMEreview/>


''[[Melody Maker]]'' journalist [[Caitlin Moran]] said the album had "enough eclecticism" throughout the songs to "keep even the most gnat-brained, [[Tartrazine]]-addled pop-kid stuck in for the full 64 minutes".<ref name=MMreview>{{cite journal|last=Moran|first=Caitlin|authorlink=Caitlin Moran|title=Albums|journal=Melody Maker|date=15 June 1996|issn=0025-9012}}</ref> Kennedy said it was a "super effort from the Dodgy chaps, proving their versatility, their chart worthiness, but most of all that they can be evil rock beasts like the best of 'em".<ref name=COreview>{{cite web|url=http://www.westnet.com/consumable/1996/10.14/revdodgy.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010707030353/http://www.westnet.com/consumable/1996/10.14/revdodgy.html|title=Dodgy, Free Peace Sweet - Tim Kennedy|work=Consumable Online|date=14 October 1996|archive-date=7 July 2001|access-date=25 September 2022}}</ref> Kevin Courtney of ''[[The Irish Times]]'' said the band had "traded in their fried out old transit van in a hid to get a seat on the bright, shiny Britpop bus, and there's no longer a faint whiff of Crust wafting in the air around them".<ref name=TITreview>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/rock-1.70936|title=Rock|newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]|author=Courtney, Kevin|date=26 July 1996|accessdate=27 February 2022|archive-date=27 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227131127/https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/rock-1.70936|url-status=live}}</ref> In his collection ''[[The Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]'', [[Colin Larkin]] considered it a "solid album containing some memorable songs", though it "fell short of the greatness that many had expected".<ref name="CL"/>
⚫
''Free Peace Sweet'' charted at number seven in the UK.<ref name=UKOCC/> By March 1997, the album had sold 400,000 copies in the UK.<ref name="Billboard">Newman 1997, p. 16</ref> All of its singles charted highly in the UK: "In a Room" at number 12, "Good Enough" at number four, "If You're Thinking of Me" at number 11 and "Found You" at number 19.<ref name=UKhistory/> ''[[Select (magazine)|Select]]'' ranked ''Free Peace Sweet'' at number five on their best albums of year, and "Good Enough" at number ten on their list of the best songs of the year.<ref>{{cite journal|title=What... No Bluetones?|journal=[[Select (magazine)|Select]]|issue=74|date=January 1997|issn=0959-8367|page=93}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=...Or Bis?!|journal=Select|issue=74|date=January 1997|issn=0959-8367}}</ref>

⚫
''Free Peace Sweet'' charted at number seven in the UK, being certified platinum by the [[British Phonographic Industry]] (BPI) in November 1996.<ref name=UKchart/><ref name=UKcert/> By March 1997, the album had sold 400,000 copies in the UK.<ref name="Billboard">Newman 1997, p. 16</ref> All of its singles charted highly in the UK: "In a Room" at number 12, "Good Enough" at number four, "If You're Thinking of Me" at number 11 and "Found You" at number 19.<ref name=UKhistory/> "Good Enough" was certified silver by the BPI in 2015.{{Certification Cite Ref|region=United Kingdom|artist=Dodgy|title=Good Enough|id=13419-100-1|accessdate=27 February 2022}} ''[[Select (magazine)|Select]]'' ranked ''Free Peace Sweet'' at number five on their best albums of 1996, and "Good Enough" at number ten on their list of the best songs of the same year.<ref>{{cite journal|title=What... No Bluetones?|journal=Select|issue=74|date=January 1997|issn=0959-8367|page=93}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=...Or Bis?!|journal=Select|issue=74|date=January 1997|issn=0959-8367}}</ref>


==Track listing==
==Track listing==
Line 117: Line 126:
{{col-end}}
{{col-end}}


==Charts==
==Charts and certifications==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

===Weekly charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Chart performance for ''Free Peace Sweet''
|-
|-
! scope="col"| Chart (1996)
! scope="col"| Chart (1996)
! scope="col"| Peak<br /> position
! scope="col"| Peak<br />position
|-
|-
{{album chart|UK2|7|date=19960623|rowheader=true|refname=UKchart}}
! scope="row"| UK Albums ([[Official Charts Company|OCC]])<ref name=UKOCC>{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/28838/dodgy/|title=DODGY {{!}} full Official Chart History|work=officialcharts.com |accessdate=March 4, 2016}}</ref>
| 7
|}
|}
{{col-2}}

===Certifications===
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for ''Free Peace Sweet''}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=album|artist=Dodgy|title=Free Peace Sweet|accessdate=27 February 2022|relyear=1996|certyear=1996|award=Platinum|id=2387-100-2|refname=UKcert}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}
{{col-end}}


==References==
==References==
Line 133: Line 153:
'''Sources'''
'''Sources'''
{{refbegin}}
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite journal|last=Double|first=Steve|title=Chaise Lounge Hot Summer|journal=NME|date=25 May 1996|issn=0028-6362}}
* {{cite book|last1=Larkin|first1=Colin|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music – Volume 4|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|date=2006|isbn=9780199726363|url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Encyclopedia_of_Popular_Music/_NNmFiUnSmUC?gbpv=1&pg=PA735}}
* {{cite book|last1=Larkin|first1=Colin|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music – Volume 4|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|date=2006|isbn=9780199726363|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_NNmFiUnSmUC&pg=PA735}}
* {{cite AV media notes|author=Miller, Andy|title=Dodgy: The A&M Years|others=Dodgy|year=2022|type=booklet|publisher=[[Demon Music Group|Edsel Records]]|id=EDSL0088}}
* {{cite AV media notes|author=Miller, Andy|title=Dodgy: The A&M Years|others=Dodgy|year=2022|type=booklet|publisher=[[Demon Music Group|Edsel Records]]|id=EDSL0088}}
* {{cite journal|last=Newman|first=Melinda|title=Mercury Dodges Releasing Dodgy Album; Compilation Lands on 'Mars'|journal=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=29 March 1997|volume=109|issue=13|issn=0006-2510|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1Q4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA16}}
* {{cite magazine|last=Newman|first=Melinda|title=Mercury Dodges Releasing Dodgy Album; Compilation Lands on 'Mars'|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=29 March 1997|volume=109|issue=13|issn=0006-2510|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1Q4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA16}}
* {{cite journal|last=Watson|first=Ian|title=What's So Funny About Peace, Love & Understanding?|journal=[[Melody Maker]]|date=24 August 1996|issn=0025-9012}}
{{refend}}
{{refend}}


Latest revision as of 12:12, 8 January 2024

Free Peace Sweet
A closeup of a tree trunk in a field with the album's title engraved on it
Studio album by
Dodgy
Released17 June 1996
Studio
GenreBritpop
Length64:28
LabelA&M
ProducerHugh Jones
Dodgy chronology
Homegrown
(1994) 		Free Peace Sweet
(1996) 		Real Estate
(2001)
Singles from Free Peace Sweet
  1. "In a Room"
    Released: 27 May 1996
  2. "Good Enough"
    Released: 29 July 1996
  3. "If You're Thinking of Me"
    Released: 4 November 1996
  4. "Found You"
    Released: 3 March 1997

Free Peace Sweet is the third studio album by English rock band Dodgy. It was released on 17 June 1996 through A&M Records. Following frequent touring in the support of their second studio album Homegrown (1994), the band recorded its follow-up in Wessex Sound Studios in London with producer Hugh Jones. Additional recording was later done at Battery and Orinoco Studios.

Free Peace Sweet received generally favourable reviews from critics, some of who saw it as a strong but underwhelming collection of songs. The album reached number seven in the UK Albums Chart, eventually being certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Out of all its singles, "Good Enough" peaked the highest at number 4 in the UK. Bookending a three month UK tour, "In a Room" and "Good Enough" was released as the album's first two singles in May and July 1996, respectively. "If You're Thinking of Me" and "Found You" followed as the third and fourth singles in November 1996 and March 1997. "Good Enough" would be certified silver by the BPI in 2015.

Background and recording

[edit]

Dodgy released their second studio album Homegrown in October 1994.[1] It peaked at number 28 on the UK Albums Chart; all of its singles peaked within the UK top 40, with an alternative version of "Staying Out for the Summer" reaching the highest at number 19.[2] The album was promoted with a UK tour at the end of 1994, and constant touring throughout 1995, which included their first tour to mainland Europe and Japan, as well as supporting the Cranberries in the UK.[1][3][4] Frontman Nigel Clark lived in a flat in Primrose Hill with his pregnant wife; he wrote new material and demoed songs on a TASCAM four-track recorder.[5] They had 35 songs in the running for inclusion on their next album, which were eventually whittled down.[6] Free Peace Sweet was produced by Hugh Jones at Wessex Sound Studios in London with engineer Robin Evans.[7]

They picked this studio so that Clark could return to his family each night, having moved to the Stoke Newington district of London.[8] The close proximity also enabled Clark to spend evenings writing more material with the intention of showing the other members his work the very next day.[5] While Homegrown was recorded with a basic band set up, for Free Peace Sweet, they used different methods of recording.[9] For "Ain't No Longer Asking", this meant set up with a PA system, playing the drum track through this and recording the output.[10] Additional recording was done at Battery and Orinoco Studios, both which served as the mixing locations for the recordings. Jones did the mixes with engineer Helen Woodward, before the album was mastered by Ian Cooper at Metropolis Studios with digital editing done by Crispin Murray.[7]

Composition and lyrics

[edit]

Free Peace Sweet is a Britpop album that takes influence from the works of Beastie Boys, Crosby, Stills & Nash and Dr. John.[11] Long-term live member Richard Payne contributed keyboards throughout the album. Jerome de Pietro did additional programming and remixing on interlude pieces and "Intro". An ensemble of brass players, under the name The Kick Horns, appeared on "In a Room", "Good Enough", "Jack the Lad" and "Homegrown". They consisted of Tim Sanders, Neil Sidwell, Roddy Lorimer and Simon Clarke. Janet Ramus and Michele Douglas of the London Community Gospel Choir sung additional vocals on "You've Gotta Look Up", "If You're Thinking of Me" and "Prey for Drinking". Nick Ingman arranged the strings that are heard on "If You're Thinking of Me", "One of Those Rivers" and "Long Life".[7]

"In a Room" originally had a slower tempo, giving the song Neil Young-esque feel to it, until one of the members suggested playing it faster.[9] Both it and "Trust in Time" incorporate influence from the work of the Who.[12] The band came up with the drum pattern for "You've Gotta Look Up" after visiting a go-go club.[9] Guitarist Andy Miller theorised that the vibraphone solo, which was performed by Teena Lyle, might have been inspired by "A Girl Like You" (1994) by Edwyn Collins.[7][9] The track was an example of Clark coming up with the chorus and version lyrics and drummer Matthew Priest would help finish them; Miller said this happened previously with the Homegrown songs "Making the Most Of..." and "So Let Me Go Far".[9]

The final version of "Good Enough" evolved from a demo that Clark made, which featured a Lee Dorsey drum loop. Clark wanted the song to have a positive atmosphere akin to Kaya (1978) by Bob Marley, which is one of Clark's favourite albums. He also drew influence from the music of Karen Carpenter and George Harrison.[5] Priest came up with the drum pattern during a break at Wessex Sound Studios, which Clark, Miller and Jones overheard. They promptly expanded on this to a full song.[9] "Ain't No Longer Asking" comes across as a mix of "Loser" (1993) by Beck and "Rocks" (1994) by Primal Scream.[13]

Discussing "One of Those Rivers", Miller said when they were driving through Scotland, their tour manager would take an alternate route via Northumberland. On one occasion, Priest commented on the view he was witnessing; Clark wrote some words down and showed Priest a few months later. He came up with the first verse of what would become "One of Those Rivers", with Priest writing the other verses.[8] Tim Kent of the Rockingbirds contributed banjo to the song.[7] "Prey for Drinking", "Jack the Lad" and "Long Life" form a musical suite. "Jack the Lad" dated from five years prior, when their manager once sent the band to a farmhouse in Hendre-Ddu, Wales, where they came up with the basic form of the song.[10] Consumable Online writer Tim Kennedy said the song's lyrics "appear to refer to a certain lad's excess and bad behaviour leading to the inevitable".[14]

Miller thought Clark had his son in mind when writing "Long Life", alongside Animal Farm (1944) by George Orwell. "U.K.R.I.P." retreads the lyrical theme of "Grand Old English Oak Tree" from their debut studio album The Dodgy Album (1993), with an emphasis on what Miller saw as "trying to distance ourselves from the jingoistic, xenophobic bullshit that Britpop was throwing up". He thought they were evoking the Clash "via Future Sound of London and maybe Senser". Priest wrote the song's chorus and second verse, while Clark wrote the first verse. The album's closing track "Homegrown" was written before the band's album of the same name and did not fit within the rest of that material. They had previously recorded a version of the song at the Tardis studio in Liverpool; as they were unable to replicate of it during the Free Peace Sweet sessions, they opted to take portions of that original recording.[8]

Release

[edit]

"In a Room" was released as the lead single from Free Peace Sweet on 27 May 1996.[15] The 7-inch vinyl version included "Out Clubbing", while the CD version featured "Self Doubt", an acoustic version of "Long Life" and a remix of "U.K.R.I.P." renamed "Jungle UK (No Rest in Peace)", which was done by Pietro and Phil Mossman.[16][17] The single was promoted with a short, four date tour of the UK, running into early June 1996.[18] Free Peace Sweet was released on 17 June 1996 through A&M Records.[19][20] The artwork features a tree, which is a reference to "Grand Old English Oak Tree".[11] The vinyl version included two extra songs, namely, "Is It Me?" (at the end) and "Grateful Moon" (after "Good Enough").[21] Between July and September 1996, the band embarked on The Summer Big Top Trip tour across the UK, which included an appearance on the main stage of the Reading Festival, with a variety of supporting acts.[22][23] "Good Enough" was released as a single on 29 July 1996.[24] The 7-inch vinyl version included "Nutters", while the CD version featured "Speaking in Tongues" and "Lovebirds on Katovit".[25][26] The music video for "Good Enough" was planned to be filmed in India, before it was ultimately shot in Jamaica.[9] "If You're Thinking of Me" was released as a single on 4 November 1996.[27] The 7-inch vinyl version included a live acoustic version of "In a Room", while the CD version featured "Pebblemilljam", "Forever Remain" and an alternative version of "Good Enough".[28][29] The music video for "If You're Thinking of Me" was filmed in Malta in a pool that was set up specially for filming.[9]

"Found You" was released as a single on 3 March 1997; "You've Gotta Look Up" was in the running to be the fourth single, until "Found You" was ultimately chosen.[9][30] The 7-inch vinyl version included a cover of the Small Faces' song "I Can't Make It" (1967) and a cover of the Beatles' "Revolution" (1968), while the CD version featured "I Can't Make It", a live version of "Stand by Yourself" and an alternative version of "Found You".[31][32] The music video for "Found You" was filmed in Andorra and centred around snowboarding.[10] Mercury Records was planning on releasing the album in the US in March 1997, before being pushed back to May to eventually being shelved.[20] Dodgy's co-manager Dave Crompton commented that Mercury planned on releasing a single first but the band was against it, saying: "We think their attitude was, 'We'll put it out and see what happens,' and we said, 'We want to have a career. We've got one in England and Europe, and we want one in the U.S. as well.'"[20] The band eventually parted ways with Mercury; Crompton and partner Andrew Winters were aiming to find a new label to release the album later in the year.[20]

A&M Records released the Free Peace Sweet: The Singles Collection in 1997, which was a box set that encouraged fans to collect all of the singles on CD. It included an exclusive live CD; "In a Room" was recorded at MTV, while "Trust in Time", "Big Brown Moon" and "Homegrown" were recorded at the University of East Anglia in Norwich.[33] "In a Room", "If You're Thinking of Me", "Good Enough", "Ain't No Longer Asking" and "Found You" were included on the band's first compilation album Ace A's + Killer B's (1999).[34] "In a Room", "Good Enough", "Found You" and "Homegrown" were included on the band's second compilation album The Collection (2004).[35] "In a Room", "If You're Thinking of Me", "Good Enough", "Ain't No Longer Asking", "Found You" and "Homegrown" were included on the band's third compilation album Good Enough: The Very Best Of (2013).[36]

Reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[37]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[38]
NME7/10[11]

Free Peace Sweet was met with generally favourable reviews from music critics. In a review for AllMusic, critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine found Free Peace Sweet to not be as "consistently engaging" as its predecessor, and while their "style is beginning to sound a bit formulaic," he could not deny that they had an "infectious, exciting sound that makes the similarities between their albums forgivable".[37] NME writer Paul Moody thought it was an "exact DNA progression" from their previous two releases; he noted that while there was a variety of musical influences, the album "never threatens to be anything other than a superior example of Bandus Britpopus".[11]

Melody Maker journalist Caitlin Moran said the album had "enough eclecticism" throughout the songs to "keep even the most gnat-brained, Tartrazine-addled pop-kid stuck in for the full 64 minutes".[13] Kennedy said it was a "super effort from the Dodgy chaps, proving their versatility, their chart worthiness, but most of all that they can be evil rock beasts like the best of 'em".[14] Kevin Courtney of The Irish Times said the band had "traded in their fried out old transit van in a hid to get a seat on the bright, shiny Britpop bus, and there's no longer a faint whiff of Crust wafting in the air around them".[12] In his collection The Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Colin Larkin considered it a "solid album containing some memorable songs", though it "fell short of the greatness that many had expected".[38]

Free Peace Sweet charted at number seven in the UK, being certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) in November 1996.[39][40] By March 1997, the album had sold 400,000 copies in the UK.[20] All of its singles charted highly in the UK: "In a Room" at number 12, "Good Enough" at number four, "If You're Thinking of Me" at number 11 and "Found You" at number 19.[2] "Good Enough" was certified silver by the BPI in 2015.[41] Select ranked Free Peace Sweet at number five on their best albums of 1996, and "Good Enough" at number ten on their list of the best songs of the same year.[42][43]

Track listing

[edit]

All songs written by Nigel Clark, Mathew Priest and Andy Miller.[7]

  1. "Intro" – 0:47
  2. "In a Room" – 4:15
  3. "Trust in Time" – 2:41
  4. "You've Gotta Look Up" – 5:29
  5. "If You're Thinking of Me" – 5:53
  6. "Good Enough" – 4:01
  7. "Ain't No Longer Asking" – 6:04
  8. "Found You" – 4:54
  9. "One of Those Rivers" – 7:43
  10. "Prey for Drinking" – 3:07
  11. "Jack the Lad" – 3:40
  12. "Long Life" – 4:47
  13. "U.K.R.I.P." – 5:08
  14. "Homegrown" – 5:52

Personnel

[edit]

Personnel per booklet.[7]

Charts and certifications

[edit]

References

[edit]

Citations

  1. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Dodgy Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 8 March 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Dodgy | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 6 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  3. ^ Miller 2022, p. 38
  4. ^ Double 1996, p. 20
  5. ^ a b c Haskell, Duncan (26 April 2018). "How I wrote 'Good Enough' by Dodgy's Nigel Clarkwork=Songwriting". Archived from the original on 29 November 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  6. ^ Double 1996, p. 18
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Free Peace Sweet (booklet). Dodgy. A&M Records. 1996. 540 573 - 2 [11]/540 573 - 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ^ a b c Miller 2022, p. 27
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i Miller 2022, p. 25
  10. ^ a b c Miller 2022, p. 26
  11. ^ a b c d Moody, Paul. "Dodgy Free Peace Sweet". NME. Archived from the original on 17 August 2000. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  12. ^ a b Courtney, Kevin (26 July 1996). "Rock". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 27 February 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  13. ^ a b Moran, Caitlin (15 June 1996). "Albums". Melody Maker. ISSN 0025-9012.
  14. ^ a b "Dodgy, Free Peace Sweet - Tim Kennedy". Consumable Online. 14 October 1996. Archived from the original on 7 July 2001. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  15. ^ "Dodgy - In A Room". Swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  16. ^ "In a Room" (sleeve). Dodgy. A&M Records. 1996. 581 624-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ^ "In a Room" (sleeve). Dodgy. A&M Records. 1996. 581 625 - 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ^ Miller 2022, p. 8
  19. ^ "Advert". Select (68). July 1996. ISSN 0959-8367.
  20. ^ a b c d e Newman 1997, p. 16
  21. ^ Free Peace Sweet (sleeve). Dodgy. A&M Records. 1996. 540573-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. ^ Miller 2022, p. 11
  23. ^ Watson 1996, p. 16
  24. ^ "Dodgy - Good Enough". Swedishcharts.com. Archived from the original on 27 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  25. ^ "Good Enough" (sleeve). Dodgy. A&M Records. 1996. 581 814-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  26. ^ "Good Enough" (sleeve). Dodgy. A&M Records. 1996. 581 815-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  27. ^ "Dodgy - If You're Thinking of Me". Swedishcharts.com. Archived from the original on 27 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  28. ^ "If You're Thinking of Me" (sleeve). Dodgy. A&M Records. 1996. 581 998-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  29. ^ "If You're Thinking of Me" (sleeve). Dodgy. A&M Records. 1996. 581 999-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  30. ^ "Dodgy - Found You". Swedishcharts.com. Archived from the original on 27 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  31. ^ "Found You" (sleeve). Dodgy. A&M Records. 1997. 582 132-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  32. ^ "Found You" (sleeve). Dodgy. A&M Records. 1997. 582 133-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  33. ^ Free Peace Sweet: The Singles Collection (sleeve). Dodgy. A&M Records. 1997. 582 299-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  34. ^ Ace A's + Killer B's (booklet). Dodgy. Mercury/A&M Records. 1999. 541 018-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  35. ^ The Collection (booklet). Dodgy. Spectrum Music. 2004. 981 365-6.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  36. ^ Good Enough: The Very Best Of (booklet). Dodgy. Spectrum Music. 2013. SPEC2150.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  37. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Free Peace Sweet - Dodgy / Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 5 December 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  38. ^ a b Larkin 2006, pp. 734–5
  39. ^ a b "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  40. ^ a b "British album certifications – Dodgy – Free Peace Sweet". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  41. ^ "British certifications – Dodgy – Good Enough". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  42. ^ "What... No Bluetones?". Select (74): 93. January 1997. ISSN 0959-8367.
  43. ^ "...Or Bis?!". Select (74). January 1997. ISSN 0959-8367.

Sources

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