Born Free

シングル「オール･サマー･ロング」が世界的超ロングラン・ヒットを記録！全米No.1アルバム『ロックン・ロール･ジーザス』に続く、“キング・オブ・アメリカン・ロック”キッド・ロック約3年振りのスタジオ・アルバムが登場！リック・ルービンをプロデュースに迎え、メアリー・J.ブライジ、T.I.、シェリル・クロウ、ボブ・シーガー他ゲスト・アーティストも多数参加。

Kid Rock has made no secret of his desire to follow in Bob Seger’s footsteps, but it still comes as a mild shock to have Bob Ritchie deliver an album that feels like it could have slipped in unnoticed between Against the Wind and The Distance in Seger’s discography. That’s precisely what the Rick Rubin-produced Born Free is, a striking re-creation of the waning days of the Silver Bullet Band, the time when the energy started to dissipate and a fascination with country ballads seeped into the heartland rock. It’s a comfortable setting for Kid Rock, who has slowly abandoned rap for country as he crept closer to middle age, but Born Free doesn’t feel lazy: it’s tightly written and crisply articulated thanks in large part to Rubin’s recruitment of an all-star supporting band anchored by Red Hot Chili Pepper Chad Smith, Chavez vet Matt Sweeney, Los Lobos guitarist David Hidalgo, and Heartbreaker Benmont Tench. These pros give Born Free the suppleness of well-worn leather and Kid Rock rides their grooves with ease, digging into the grinding “God Bless Saturday,” laying back on “Slow My Roll,” slyly trading verses with old sparring partner Sheryl Crow on “Collide” (which also happens to feature Seger himself on piano), and shuffling along with the three-chord boogie of “Rock Bottom Blues.” Kid Rock demonstrates enough versatility to excuse “Care,” the most apathetic protest song this side of John Mayer’s “Waiting for the World to Change,” where Kid correctly deduces that the least he can do is care, but even that slight stumble works as sheer sound, drifting along upon the Midwestern rock & roll that Kid Rock has sworn to keep alive. Born Free goes a long, long way toward keeping that heartland flame burning bright: it’s familiar yet fresh, and song for song it’s the best album Kid Rock has cut since Devil Without a Cause. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

ラップ・メタルで鳴らしたキッド・ロックがリック・ルービンと組み、ブルース～カントリー・ロックに真正面から取り組んだ8作目。フェイセズや70年代のローリング・ストーンズを思わせるナンバーが格好良く、このアルバムからロックンロールの神髄を感じ取るべし。デュエットを披露したメアリーJ・ブライジとシェリル・クロウに加えT.I.や同郷の大先輩ボブ・シーガーら豪華ゲストとの参加曲も聴きどころだ。
bounce (C)山口智男