Released 1971
One By One is more muted and more emotional. The songs seem a bit more personal (“One By One”, “Friendly Man”), and the harmony arrangements are less ornate, grayer. However, I was initially surprised at how much I was digging the “Light My Fire” cover. For the Free Design, it’d become this jazzy, psych-lounge odyssey that should have been playing during the love scenes in all the bizarre sci-fi think pieces big at the time. Another oddity: what are A-list jazz guys Billy Cobham, Randy Brecker and Bob Mann doing on a Free Design record? “Felt So Good” (and the less convincing “Go Lean on a River”) is kind of a clean version of the big band rock made infamous by Blood, Sweat & Tears, given a kick by the heavyweight ringers. My faves are the title track, “Friendly Man” and “Going Back”, the latter of which should probably be copied and branded by Rufus Wainwright ASAP. — Dominique Leone, April 06, 2005
