Admiral Freebee (the alias of Tom Van Laere) has been highly appreciated since his 2003 debut, but only by a select group. With the previous album, The Honey & The Knife, there has been a little improvement in that and it is hoped that this line will be continued with The Great Scam. Among musicians, Van Laere has been a well-known colleague that should be taken seriously for years. For The
… Great Scam, John Agnello was at the controls, who became known as the producer of Screaming Trees and Dinosaur Jr. The guitarist of the latter band, J Mascis, also occasionally participates on this record. The songs on The Great Scam are unsurpassed again. As always, Van Laere opts for a traditional approach. No hassle with complicated productions, artistic echoes or alienating synths: just a few guitars, an organ, bass and drums and go. Straightforward and crystal clear, Admiral Freebee will rock straight to your heart. That deserves a larger group of listeners who love raw, honest, high-quality pop music. (HF)more
