Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Rhiannon Giddens Walks the Length of Freedom Highway

Rhiannon Giddens Press Shot
John Peets
Cover of Rhiannon Giddens' 'Freedom Highway'Acclaimed Americana musician Rhiannon Giddens’ second solo album, Freedom Highway, is an ambitious and timely one. Over the course of twelve tracks, Giddens presents music based on, in her own words, “slave narratives from the 1800s, African American experiences of the last century, the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s and headlines from streets of Ferguson and Baltimore today.”

Of the twelve tracks on Freedom Highway, Giddens wrote or co-write nine. Another is a traditional song, and the final two are civil rights-era songs, “Birmingham Sunday” and Staple Singers’ well-known “Freedom Highway,” from which the album takes its name.

Rhiannon Giddens - Better Get It Right the First Time (Official Audio)

Featuring little more instrumentation than a plucked banjo, opening track “At the Purchaser’s Option” presents a harrowing first person account of a young woman wondering whether she will have to give up her baby when she is sold as a slave. A 19th Century advertisement inspired Giddens to write the song. “Thinking about her,” the musician said, “and how she had to maintain her humanity against horrific odds inspired this song named for the end of the ad: ‘She has with her a 9-month old baby, who is at the purchaser’s option.'”

Rhiannon Giddens - At The Purchaser's Option

The album closes with its bright and uplifting title track, showing in the expansion of sound and the cultural progress since the time of “At the Purchaser’s Option.” Giddens herself, on the day after the 2016 Presidential Election, said the following of the song:

“I am a daughter of the South; of the white working class, of the black working class; of the Democrat, and the Republican; of the gay, and the straight; and I can tell you one thing—we are far more alike than we are different. We cannot let hate divide us; we cannot let ignorance diminish us; we cannot let those whose greed fills their every waking hour take our country from us. They can’t take U.S. from US—unless we let them. I recorded this with Bhi Bhiman, all-American singer-songwriter from St. Louis, whose parents are from Sri Lanka. America’s strength are her people, whether they came 4,000, 400, or 40 years ago, and we can’t leave anyone behind. Let’s walk down Freedom Highway together.”

Rhiannon Giddens - Birmingham Sunday (Official Audio)

Freedom Highway by Rhiannon Giddens is out now through Nonesuch Records and is available on Amazon, iTunes, and the Nonesuch Store.

Terence Praet
Terence Praet contributes to The Manual’s New Music Monday column. He studied Philosophy and History at Skidmore College…
12 classic sci-fi books everyone should read
If you love science fiction and reading, these classic sci-fi novels are a must
Man reading a book and drinking coffee

It may feel like we were recently living in a science-fiction dystopia life -- and in some ways, we were -- but that doesn't mean that we should simply avoid an entire genre of writing. Hardly. In fact, this is probably the perfect time to explore classic sci-fi books, to see what the masters have written, and maybe even see if someone predicted anything like this. Many, though, simply ignore sci-fi wholly and completely because of an association with robots, aliens, and the like.

Long story short, if you think you don't like sci-fi, you have never read great books from the genre. But indeed, many such books abound, including a number that has delighted generations of readers going back well over 150 years. In fact, one of the best things about so many sci-fi books is their very timelessness. As by definition, this type of fiction breaks away from the norms of the everyday world -- whether slightly twisting things or taking place on entire other worlds -- the stories often feel as fresh and relevant today as when they were published decades ago.

Read more
The 7 best classic fantasy books to get lost in
Even adults can enjoy entering the fantasy world
Man reading a book

Using the term "fantasy" when it comes to fiction, we are admittedly casting a pretty wide net. After all, think about just how many shows and movies could technically be considered fantasy, too. If. we're talking about classic, canonical fantasy, though, the net shrinks considerably. If a book is to stand the test of time to be considered a classic -- regardless of genre -- it has to be damn good. At the risk of offending plenty of authors and fantasy fans both of yesteryear and today, most fantasy writing ... how should I put this? In a few decades, it won't be on some future writer's list of fantasy classics.

I say all that as an absolute fan of fantasy writing. From the Game of Thrones books, our era's Lord of the Rings, to the novels of Neil Gaiman, to the Twilight series (except not that), there is a plethora of great fantasy writing being produced today. But if you're looking to get into the genre or are already an aficionado with a few gaps in your reading list, classic fantasy novels are always a fine choice, as are classic mysteries, classic adventure books, and on it goes across every genre of literature.

Read more
How do cigars make you feel? My experience as a cigar smoker
Man smoking a cigar in a newsboy cap outside.

Most enthusiasts and cigar lovers smoke for more than just the appearance. In other words, it's not about looking cool or suave but about the experience itself. Smoking a good cigar is flavorful, pleasurable, and relaxing, and, on occasion, may even make you feel light-headed or give you a slight buzz -- although it's nothing like drinking or imbibing other common substances. For someone who's never smoked before or is interested in getting into the hobby, wondering just how cigars make you feel is a valid concern. What can you expect, and what is it about cigars that change the experience for better or worse?
How does a cigar make you feel?

For the most part, a cigar experience is pleasurable and relaxing, but nothing more. You don't smoke to feel something, so it's not like drinking alcohol or taking other substances in the sense that you're doing it to chase a particular feeling. If you like drinking for the taste or the flavors, that's the best comparison to smoking a cigar. A good cigar will be aromatic but also leaves a lot of nuanced flavor on your tongue and, if you retro-hale, in your nostrils. You'll get hints of chocolate, coffee, leather, spice, and maybe even some sweet tones like fruit. It depends on the cigar and the blend.

Read more