Album Review

Greg Freeman, All Set the Bone Review

Words by The Pit Standard

Greg Freeman spent years building his music around the DIY spirit of Vermont’s indie scene, releasing his debut, I Looked Out, in 2022 before Burnover brought him a much wider audience in 2025. Now on his third album, he sounds ready to push beyond the expectations that come with that breakthrough. All Set the Bone is a record that takes risks with its sound and structure, and largely succeeds because Freeman doesn’t seem interested in making those risks more palatable.

Rating: 4/5 stars

The 90s guitar influence is a starting point, but the record also draws on hardcore, pop and Americana, with piano, guitar and rhythm changes that keep the songs moving in unexpected directions. At times, the arrangements sound almost unruly, but Freeman has a knack for making these shifts feel instinctive, moving between styles without losing the thread of a song. It’s a record with plenty going on, and one that benefits from letting it all happen.

“Totaled” is one of the album’s strongest moments, capturing that restless energy without losing its grip. “Marooned” stands out for different reasons, offering a change of pace while keeping the record’s unpredictability intact. “Decade” and “Bury Me the Shovel” also make a strong impression, adding to an album that rarely settles into one sound for long.

The lyrics carry considerable weight, but Freeman’s use of vivid imagery keeps them from becoming heavy-handed. He gives his writing texture and detail, leaving images to linger rather than spelling out every emotion. The songs are populated by uneasy characters and difficult circumstances, with personal anxieties often sitting alongside a broader sense of social unease. Freeman doesn’t need to make every thought explicit; the images do much of the work.

The 90s influence is apparent, though All Set the Bone doesn’t feel like an attempt to recreate a particular era. Its mix of guitar-driven indie rock, hardcore energy, pop sensibility and Americana feels more like Freeman drawing on whatever serves each song. The changes can be abrupt, and not every turn lands with the same force, but the willingness to take those risks is part of the album’s appeal.

Across its strongest tracks, Freeman sounds increasingly assured in his own instincts. “Totaled” and “Marooned” are particularly effective examples of how differently he can approach a song without losing the character that holds the record together. Rather than settling on a formula after the success of Burnover, he has made a record that feels more expansive and less concerned with delivering an obvious follow-up.

All Set the Bone is at its best when Freeman lets the songs take their own shape, whether that means leaning into a heavier passage or pulling back into something more reflective. The results aren’t always neat, but neatness would hardly suit this record. Freeman has moved beyond the promise of a breakout album and made something that feels like a genuine statement of intent.