Greg Freeman Levels Up on 'Burnover'

Isn’t it great when a record just jumps out at you out of nowhere? I hadn’t even heard of Greg Freeman prior to this April, much less listened to him. But when “Point and Shoot,” the first single from his excellent sophomore album Burnover, was released, it was immediately clear this was the work of a singular talent who’s been making great music under the radar for a few years now.

The word-of-mouth that lifted 2022’s I Looked Out from obscurity to buzz was completely warranted. The Burlington, VT-based Freeman built irresistibly catchy songs like “Colorado,” “Come and Change My Body,” and the drowsy “Long Distance Driver” out of dissonance and noise, creating that feeling of being nearsighted and putting on glasses for the first time. Plain and simple, it was a gem.

With Burnover, Freeman’s talents come into focus with LASIK precision. The herky-jerky “Rome, New York” stumbles forward on clunky percussion and barroom piano before breaking into a singalong chorus. The breezy, twangy “Gallic Shrug” sounds like Malkmus-in-miniature, but with less wink-and-nod and a little more heart. “Gulch” is a straight-up ripper, all slapdash chords and horns cresting at just the right time.

If there’s one thing about Burnover, it’s that Freeman took what worked best on I Looked Out and ran it through the ‘enhance’ filter. The riffs hit harder. The rough edges are smoothed out just enough. It’s still plenty noisy, but with that Maldon finishing-salt kick.

The record closes with a hell of a one-two punch—a sad, seasick ballad with a cassette tape sample cutting through the haze, followed by “Wolf Pine,” an atmospheric track of piano and strings that drifts before careening into a full-on wall of guitars and noise. For an artist who just spent a record writing songs that crackle and zip, the sheer weight of the closer is a reminder of Freeman’s range and ambition.

Burnover is the sound of Greg Freeman arriving. Be ready for it.

It's out now on Canvasback/Transgressive.