Free Me (album)

Free Me is the second studio album by English singer Emma Bunton (credited purely as "Emma"), released on 9 February 2004 by 19 Recordings. The album peaked at number seven on the UK Albums Chart and spawned three top-10 singles: "Free Me", "Maybe" and "I'll Be There". With this album, Bunton became the only former Spice Girl to have sold more copies of her second album than her first.

Background
In 2001, Bunton released her solo debut album A Girl Like Me through Virgin Records. It spent over 12 weeks inside the UK Albums Chart, peaking at number four and earning a gold certification by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). It also produced her only solo chart-topper "What Took You So Long?" and the top-five single "Take My Breath Away". Bunton explained that she left Virgin Records due to a lack of support from the label, citing a desire to work with a label "where I know people are going to be right behind me and work as hard as I do.'"

Composition
The album was inspired by 1960s sounds, such as bossa nova, Motown and French pop. The album was largely produced by Mike Peden and Yak Bondy, who have produced tracks for acts such as S Club 7 and Lucie Silvas. Other contributions on the album are courtesy of Cathy Dennis, Henry Binns, and Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi. The album was released via 19 Recordings, which is a division of 19 Management, the company owned by Simon Fuller. Bunton says of the inspiration behind the album: "I've been listening to Motown since I was about five, and just loving it, being very passionate about the fact how it was all done live, and I thought, 'Hold on, I always talk about the fact I love '60s and Motown', so I thought I'd take elements of it, bits of it, and put it into my album, so that's exactly what I did." However, Bunton's songs on this album mainly started life as a simple scribble. She says, "I have a little book beside my bed, where I put all my ideas for songs and stuff. It's kind of weird, 'cuz usually when I'm having a dream, I'll wake up, and I'll write something down, then I'll look at it again and think, 'God, what was I dreaming about?'"

Singles
The album's lead single, "Free Me", was released in May 2003. The song immediately picked up airplay, peaking at number five on the UK Singles Chart.

"Maybe" was released as the second single in October 2003, and also gained extensive airplay throughout the United Kingdom, peaking at number six.

In January 2004, "I'll Be There" was released as the third single from the album. Like its two predecessors, it performed well on the charts, peaking at number seven on the UK chart.

Later in the year, in May, "Crickets Sing for Anamaria", was released as the fourth single. The song peaked at number 15 on the UK Singles Chart.

In the United States, both "Free Me" and "Maybe" were dance club regulars, reaching numbers four and six on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, respectively.

Critical reception
Free Me received generally positive reviews from music critics, many of whom approved of the use of sounds from the Motown and 1960s era. BBC Music said the album is "light and frothy, like a good cappuccino, but this time it's with the sugar taken out". General acclaim was given to the album by Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic, who described the album as being the best Spice Girl-related record. He noted: "This music is stylish without being flashy, thanks in large part to the charmingly tuneful, sturdy songs (all but one bearing a writing credit from Emma). While Bunton may still have a small, sweet voice, she's developed a stronger presence on record, giving this album not just a face, but a fetching persona that's hard to resist".

According to Lynsey Hanley from newspaper The Daily Telegraph, Bunton's new musical direction was "a brave move, given that high-sheen, saucy R&B is currently the main mode of expression for female pop performers, but Emma's lilting vocals and only faintly suggestive image suit this album's less aggressive style".

"The album's got charm, grace and it's fun", said Q magazine. Marie Claire magazine said it "mixes up bossa nova with James Bond soundtrack" and that "Emma resembles a seductive Brigitte Bardot".

Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Free Me.

Musicians

 * Emma Bunton – lead vocals (all tracks); backing vocals (track 9)
 * Charlie Russell – programming (tracks 1–3, 6); live drums (tracks 1–3); drums, live programming (track 10)
 * Mike Peden – bass (tracks 1, 10); percussion (track 2); keyboards (tracks 3, 6)
 * Graham Kearns – guitars (tracks 1, 2, 9, 10); bass guitar (track 6)
 * Helene Muddiman – keyboards (track 1); backing vocals (tracks 1, 3)
 * Martin Hayles – keyboards (tracks 1, 3)
 * Nick Ingman – orchestra arrangement, orchestra conducting (tracks 1–4, 7, 10)
 * Gavyn Wright – orchestra leader (tracks 1, 3, 7)
 * Paul Turner – bass (track 2); guitar (track 6)
 * Pete Gordeno – keyboards (tracks 2, 6); piano (tracks 2, 10)
 * Yak Bondy – keyboards (track 4)
 * Ralph Salmins – drums (track 4)
 * Frank Ricotti – percussion (track 4); vibes (track 6)
 * Paul Clarvis – percussion (track 4)
 * Steve Pearce – bass (track 4)
 * Hugh Burns – guitar (track 4)
 * John Parricelli – guitar (track 4)
 * Friðrik Karlsson – guitar (track 4)
 * Richard Studt – orchestra leader (track 4)
 * Allan Simpson – guitar (track 5)
 * Pete Trotman – bass guitar (track 5)
 * Simon Clarke – flute (track 5)
 * Siemy Di – percussion (track 5)
 * Alastair Gavin – string arrangement (track 5)
 * Danny Cummings – percussion (track 6)
 * Phil Todd – flute (track 6)
 * Simon Ellis – all keyboards, programming (track 7)
 * Paul Gendler – guitar (track 7)
 * John Thompson – bass guitar (track 7)
 * Brett Morgan – drums (track 7)
 * Lisa Daniels – backing vocals (track 7)
 * Ray "Madman" Hedges – arrangement (track 8)
 * Nigel Butler – arrangement (track 8)
 * Fabien Waltmann – programming, guitars (track 9)
 * Nicky Brown – piano, Rhodes (track 9)
 * Cathy Dennis – backing vocals (track 9)
 * Luis Fonsi – vocals (track 10)
 * Henrik Linnemann – flute (track 11)
 * Tim Lever – all other instruments (track 11)
 * Mike Percy – all other instruments (track 11)
 * Toni Leo – backing vocals (track 11)
 * Alex Clarke – additional programming (track 12)
 * Steve Lewinson – all instruments (except piano and additional guitar), programming (track 12)
 * Pete Lewinson – all instruments (except piano and additional guitar), programming (track 12)
 * Paul "Harry" Harris – piano (track 12)
 * Ian Lewinson – additional guitar (track 12)
 * London Session Orchestra – orchestra (track 12)
 * Simon Hale – orchestra arrangement, orchestra conducting (track 12)

Technical

 * Mike Peden – production (tracks 1–3, 6, 10); mixing (tracks 3, 10)
 * Mark "Spike" Stent – mixing (tracks 1, 2)
 * Martin Hayles – recording (tracks 1–3, 6); engineering (track 10)
 * Isobel Griffiths Ltd. – orchestra contractor (tracks 1–4, 7, 10)
 * Richard Dowling – mastering
 * Yak Bondy – production (track 4)
 * Dan Frampton – mixing (tracks 4, 7)
 * Steve Price – recording engineering (track 4)
 * César Gimeno – engineering assistance (track 4)
 * Boo Dan Productions – production, mixing (track 5)
 * Simon Ellis – production (track 7)
 * Tony Taverner – engineering (track 7)
 * Jim Brumby – Pro Tools (track 7)
 * Ray "Madman" Hedges – production, mixing (track 8)
 * Nigel Butler – mixing (track 8)
 * Mark Emmitt – mixing (track 8)
 * Cathy Dennis – production (track 9)
 * Fabien Waltmann – production, additional recording (track 9)
 * Steve Fitzmaurice – mixing (track 9)
 * Richard Wilkinson – mixing assistance (track 9)
 * Keith Uddin – recording (track 9)
 * Phil Bodger – mixing (track 10)
 * Tim Lever – production (track 11)
 * Mike Percy – production (track 11)
 * Dan Panton – engineering assistance (track 11)
 * Steve Lewinson – production (track 12)
 * Pete Lewinson – production (track 12)
 * Lipso Facto – additional production (track 12)
 * The Asian Sensation – mixing (track 12)

Artwork

 * Yacht Associates – art direction
 * Darren S. Feist – photography
 * Roger Dean – architectural photography
 * Core Digital – scanning, retouching