This album was made after Free had broken up at the end of their Australian tour in May 1971.
The band reformed to make this album in early 1972, partly in an effort to save Paul Kossoff who was taking Mandrax, swallowing them "by the handful" as his friends attested. His drug addiction had to some degree been caused by the break-up of the band.
Kossoff himself described his feelings as follows (the quotes given here are taken from the CD album liner notes)
"I'd spent years being one fourth of a whole personality which was Free. When the band broke up I was on my own. I didn't know what to do"
So the band reformed to make this album, partly to try to help Kossoff, as Rodgers put it "The point was, Koss, my freind, was in need".
The songs on this album reflect those feelings.
This is no good time rock and roll album, the songs are deep, soulfull and moving.
Just to listen to "Child" which seems to be Rodgers speaking to his freind and trying to save him.
I listened to this again today and I found myself asking this.
Can a four piece band with simply guitars, drums, vocals and piano ever communicate deep and heartfelt emotions better than this?
I my opinion this is the best album Free ever made and it represents for me, one of the pinnacles of what a four piece rock and roll band can ever achieve.