FREUNDE drop new Single

FREUNDE drop new single

URL: https://freundemusic.com/

FREUNDE. is a group comprised of American Daniel Schwarz and Swiss musician Heiko Freund. They describe their foundation as a “circle of friends. Musicians sharing a passion. Creating songs they love.” Today I’m focusing on the track “California.” The song is rich in warm, sunny tones and guitars reminiscent of Americana, roots and hints of Nashville twang.

At just over 3:30 in length, the song starts out with head-turning harmonies. “I wish that she was more like California,” the vocals preach. And while the song description mentions alt-country, the vocals and the overall vibe move ever so far from NashVegas and ‘beer, girls, and partying’ modern country. (Feel free to debate this in other chat rooms, my dear readers). Still, the sense of country fills small gaps in this charming track.

It’s indeed the harmonies that make “California” such a standout track. FREUNDE. uses the backing guitar work and percussion to heighten the vocals and give the listener a well-polished song. It’s not overproduced. It’s not understated. It’s perfect as is. Sometimes pop songs can inundate the listener with boring lyrics and repetitive riffs. “California” has a nice balance and doesn’t bore the listener.

The song has a bit of a nostalgia feel to it. As mentioned above, sometimes Americana music (to me) floats me to the 70s songs. Think Crosby, Stills Nash, Joni Mitchell, or even Gram Parsons. It must be that steel guitar that I equate with the late 60s and 70s. It’s not intentional, nor is it meant to be negative that I think this way. Rather, songs like “California” remind me of the nod of yesteryear, looking through a modern lens. I think FREUNDE. nail the pop culture-rich history of California (the state) and bring it to the masses in a genuine and vulnerable way.

I could see this song being placed in a coming-of-age movie or TV show. You stop what you’re doing when you listen to this, and at the same time, you find yourself drifting off into a journey of summer romances past and future.

If the song “California” were a color pallet, FREUNDE. would use hues of baby blues, blood orange and whisps of marigold and lemon. And, for fun, based on their guitar tones, some tart lime.

Overall, FREUNDE. delivers high marks for “California.” It’s a great song for any fans of pop music. The song has some moxie to it, and it also has this strong sense of musical confidence. It would be great to hear this song live – especially at an outdoor amphitheater. But, it’s also ripe for stages of any size.

Mindy McCall