Free Soul
{{Infobox album
| name = Free Soul
| type = studio
| artist = Madeline Merlo
| cover = FreeSoul.jpg
| alt =
| released = {{start date|2016|4|29}}
| recorded = 2014–16 in Nashville, TN
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = Country
| length = {{duration|m=38|s=59}}
| label = Open Road
| producer = {{hlist|Dan Swinimer|Matt Rovey|EO|Jeff Coplan|Todd Clark}}
| prev_title = Madeline Merlo
| prev_year = 2014
| next_title = Slide
| next_year = 2022
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Free Soul
| type = studio
| single1 = Sinking Like a Stone
| single1date = February 18, 2014
| single2 = Alive
| single2date = July 22, 2014
| single3 = Honey Jack
| single3date = July 17, 2015
| single4 = Whatcha Wanna Do About It
| single4date = January 22, 2016
| single5 = War Paint
| single5date = June 24, 2016
| single6 = Over and Over
| single6date = January 20, 2017
}}
}}
Free Soul is the debut studio album by Canadian country music artist Madeline Merlo. It was released on April 29, 2016 via Open Road Recordings.{{cite news|last1=Wadhwani|first1=Ashley|title=Maple Ridge singer set to release debut album|url=http://www.mrtimes.com/entertainment/375491121.html|accessdate=April 13, 2016|work=Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times|date=April 12, 2016}} The album includes the singles "Sinking Like a Stone", "Alive", "Honey Jack", "Whatcha Wanna Do About It", "War Paint", and "Over and Over".{{cite web|title=Free Soul – Madeline Merlo|url={{AllMusic|class=album/release|id=mr0004553499|pure_url=yes}}|work=AllMusic|publisher=All Media Network|accessdate=May 10, 2016}} Upon release, the album debuted at number 88 on the Billboard Canadian Albums Chart. The album's fourth single, "Whatcha Wanna Do About It" earned Merlo her first top ten single on the Canadian country singles chart.
Background
In early 2014, Merlo signed a record deal with Open Road Recordings and spent approximately eight months developing her sound.{{cite news|last1=Laing|first1=Sarah|title=#Dreamchaser: What It's Really Like to Break Into the Country Music Scene|url=http://www.ellecanada.com/culture/music/article/dreamchaser-what-it-s-really-like-to-break-into-the-country-music-scene|accessdate=November 7, 2016|work=Elle Canada|publisher=Hachette Filipacchi Médias|date=July 17, 2015}} She released her debut single, "Sinking Like a Stone", on February 18, 2014.{{cite web|title=Sinking Like A Stone - Madeline Merlo|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/release/sinking-like-a-stone-mr0004095045|website=AllMusic|publisher=All Media Network|accessdate=November 7, 2016}} The song stayed on the Canada Country chart for 20 weeks and reached a peak position of 32, which helped to establish Merlo's presence on Canadian country radio.{{cite news|last1=Derdeyn|first1=Stuart|title=Rising star Merlo jumps into Rockin' River|url=https://vancouversun.com/entertainment/festivals/rising-star-merlo-jumps-into-rockin-river|accessdate=November 7, 2016|work=The Vancouver Sun|publisher=Postmedia Network|date=July 16, 2016}} That summer (July 22, 2014), she released an eponymous debut extended play, along with a new single, "Alive".{{cite web|title=YouTube Video Premiere "Madeline Merlo – Alive"|url=http://www.openroadrecordings.com/news/youtube-video-premiere-madeline-merlo-alive/|publisher=Open Road Recordings|accessdate=November 7, 2016|date=August 14, 2014}}{{cite web|title=Madeline Merlo – Madeline Merlo|url={{AllMusic|class=album/release|id=mr0004215622|pure_url=yes}}|work=AllMusic|publisher=All Media Network|accessdate=November 7, 2016}}
Merlo experienced a commercial breakthrough in 2015 with the release of her third single, "Honey Jack." The track reached the top 25 on the Canada Country chart and the song's success contributed to her being chosen as the opening act on Dean Brody and Paul Brandt's The Road Tour that year.{{cite web|last1=Dagg|first1=Nanci|title=Review - Madeline Merlo |url=http://canadianbeats.ca/2016/05/02/madelinemerlofreesoul/ |publisher=Canadian Beats|accessdate=November 7, 2016|date=May 2, 2016}} At the 2015 Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Awards, Merlo won the prestigious Rising Star award.{{cite web|last1=Doole|first1=Kerry|title=Madeline Merlo: Whatcha Wanna Do About It|url=http://www.fyimusicnews.ca/articles/2016/04/19/madeline-merlo-whatcha-wanna-do-about-it|website=FYI Music News|publisher=Music Canada|accessdate=November 7, 2016|date=April 19, 2016}} The fourth single, "Whatcha Wanna Do About It" became Merlo's first top-10 at country radio. Free Soul was made available for pre-order on April 19, 2016.{{cite web|title=Country Star on The Rise, Madeline Merlo, Releases Debut Album, Free Soul, on April 29, 2016|url=http://www.openroadrecordings.com/news/country-star-on-the-rise-madeline-merlo-releases-debut-album-free-soul-on-april-29-2016/|publisher=Open Road Recordings|accessdate=November 7, 2016|date=April 19, 2016}}
=Content=
Merlo previously recorded a version of "Ready to Say Goodnight" with duet partner Tim Hicks on the latter's 2014 album, 5:01.{{cite web|title=5:01 – Tim Hicks|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=mw0002702798|pure_url=yes}}|work=AllMusic|publisher=All Media Network|accessdate=November 7, 2016}}
Critical reception
Nanci Dagg of Canadian Beats wrote that Free Soul is "extremely well written and well produced – from the first song to the last," and found the full-length album format "refreshing."
Tom Harrison of The Vancouver Sun was ambivalent toward the record's duelling country and pop influences but criticized Merlo's lack of personality. "Through it all," he writes, "Merlo sings well (and even writes a few songs) without having a personal style."{{cite news|last1=Harrison|first1=Tom|title=Blog: Back to country, wherever that is|url=https://vancouversun.com/entertainment/local-arts/blog-back-to-country-wherever-that-is|accessdate=November 7, 2016|work=The Vancouver Sun|publisher=Postmedia Network|date=May 31, 2016}}
Track listing
{{tracklist
| total_length = 38:59
| extra_column = Producer
| title1 = Whatcha Wanna Do About It
| writer1 = {{hlist|Connie Harrington|Matthew McGinn|Steve Moakler}}
| extra1 = Matt Rovey
| length1 = 3:31
| title2 = War Paint
| writer2 = {{hlist|April Geesbreght|Madeline Merlo|Eric Olson}}
| extra2 = EO
| length2 = 3:24
| title3 = Over and Over
| writer3 = {{hlist|Jason Blaine|Jeff Pardo}}
| extra3 = Rovey
| length3 = 3:19
| title4 = Holding On to Freedom
| writer4 = {{hlist|Merlo|Dan Swinimer}}
| extra4 = Swinimer
| length4 = 3:30
| title5 = Tumbling
| writer5 = {{hlist|Heather Longstaffe|Swinimer}}
| extra5 = Swinimer
| length5 = 3:38
| title6 = Honey Jack
| writer6 = {{hlist|Merlo|Stephony Smith|Jesse Walker}}
| extra6 = Rovey
| length6 = 3:08
| title7 = Ready to Say Goodnight
| note7 = featuring Tim Hicks
| writer7 = {{hlist|Todd Clark|Tim Hicks|Jessica Mitchell}}
| extra7 = Jeff Coplan
| length7 = 3:55
| title8 = Crush
| writer8 = {{hlist|Clark|Emma-Lee|Gavin Slate|Donovan Woods}}
| length8 = 3:28
| extra8 = Clark
| title9 = Sinking Like a Stone
| writer9 = {{hlist|Jeff Johnson|Swinimer}}
| extra9 = Swinimer
| length9 = 3:57
| title10 = Alive
| writer10 = {{hlist|Merlo|Swinimer}}
| extra10 = Swinimer
| length10 = 3:36
| title11 = Twist of Fate
| writer11 = {{hlist|Arron Thomas Ritchie|Swinimer}}
| extra11 = Swinimer
| length11 = 3:33
}}
Chart performance
=Album=
| class="wikitable" |
| Chart (2016)
! Peak |
|---|
| {{album chart|BillboardCanada|88|artist=Madeline Merlo}} |
=Singles=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Single ! Peak |
|---|
| style="font-size:smaller;"
! CAN Country |
| rowspan="2"| 2014
| align="left"| "Sinking Like a Stone" | 32 |
| align="left"| "Alive"
| 42 |
| 2015
| align="left"| "Honey Jack" | 25 |
| rowspan="2"| 2016
| align="left"| "Whatcha Wanna Do About It" | 10 |
| align="left"| "War Paint"
| 13 |
| 2017
| align="left"| "Over and Over" | 13 |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Madeline Merlo}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Madeline Merlo albums