Free the Fire

{{track listing

|title1 = Free the Fire in Me

|writer1 = Michael Omartian, Stormie Omartian

|length1 = 5:11

|title2 = Wild Geese

|writer2 = Jon Sweet, Rod Trott

|length2 = 4:08

|title3 = City in the Sky

|writer3 = Bill Schnee, Jimmie Lee Sloas, David Martin

|length3 = 4:56

|title4 = You

|writer4 = J. Lee Sloas, Robbie Buchanan, Randy Goodrum

|length4 = 4:55

|title5 = The Boss

|writer5 = J. Lee Sloas

|length5 = 5:17

|title6 = Higher Things

|writer6 = Tommy Sims, Chris Rodriguez

|length6 = 5:11

|title7 = Rest in Your Arms

|writer7 = Ron Hemby, Tom Hemby

|length7 = 4:16

|title8 = Let It Go

|writer8 = J. Lee Sloas, D. Martin

|length8 = 4:15

|title9 = Better Than I Know Myself

|writer9 = Dave Cooke, Judy MacKenzie

|length9 = 4:08

|title10 = Touchin' Me

|writer10 = J. Lee Sloas, R. Hemby

|length10 = 4:03

|title11 = I Just Came to Praise the Lord

|writer11 = Wayne Romero

|length11 = 1:59

}}

The Imperials

• Jimmie Lee Sloas – tenor (lead vocals on tracks 3, 5, 8–10)
• Ron Hemby – tenor (lead vocals on tracks 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9)
• David Will – baritone (lead vocals on track 9)
• Armond Morales – bass, vocals

Musicians

• Michael Omartian – grand piano (1, 5, 11), synthesizers (1)
• Robbie Buchanan – organ (1), keyboards (2–10)
• Dann Huff – guitars (1–10)
• David Lindley – slide guitar (3)
• Jimmie Lee Sloas – bass (1–10)
• Paul Leim – drums (1–10)
• Lenny Castro – percussion (1–10)
• Brandon Fields – saxophone (2, 4, 8)

Production

• Bill Schnee – producer, engineer
• Wade Jaynes – assistant engineer
• Bart Stevens – assistant engineer
• Doug Sax – mastering at The Mastering Lab (Hollywood, California)
• Lynn Nichols – A&R direction
• Mark Maxwell – A&R direction
• Dee Dee Jaynes – A&R assistant
• Deborah Klein – production assistant
• Roland Young – art direction, design
• Howard Rosenberg – photography
• Darin Walter – stylist

{{Music ratings

|rev1 = AllMusic

|rev1score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{AllMusic|class=album|id=mw0000312901||title=The Imperials – Free the Fire: Review|access-date=}}

|rev2 = Cross Rhythms

|rev2score = {{Rating|7|10}}{{cite web |last1=Rimmer |first1=Mike |title=Review: Free the Fire - The Imperials |work= Cross Rhythms |url= https://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/products/The_Imperials/Free_The_Fire/28816/|access-date=12 November 2022}}

}}

Evan Cater at AllMusic said the album "was a disappointment for admirers of the Imperials' daring 1987 effort, "This Year's Model.' Producer Bill Schnee retained a few elements of the big electronic sound developed by his predecessor, Brown Bannister. But most of the power and texture of the production, as well as the dark, mysterious tone that had generated so much excitement about the so-called 'new' Imperials the previous year, were discarded completely." Cater also said from the This Year's Model review that "the new Imperials had gone the way of the moonwalk, as the band turned in the styling gel and retreated to the safer, church-friendly vibe that made them famous"{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0000858624|title=The Imperials - This Year's Model|publisher=AllMusic}} for this album.

Over at Cross Rhythms, Mike Rimmer rated the album 7 out of 10 saying that This Year's Model "had taken them in a rockier direction and they'd lost fans so for 'Free The Fire' they returned to a poppier sound, although it was still infused with plenty of slick, '80s production from Bill Schnee and several of the tracks here sounded more than a bit like a black R&B group." Rimmer also highlighted songs like "You", "which is dripping with cool sax riffs to the opening title track with its robust pop rock sounds and catchy chorus and the groovy "Higher Things" with the Nashville '80s pop sound." Rimmer complimented the Imperials saying that Free the Fire "proves that there was life left in the old dog yet, even after 25 years!"

{{reflist}}

{{The Imperials}}

Category:1988 albums

Category:The Imperials albums

Category:Myrrh Records albums

Category:Word Records albums