Brad vs Satchel - Brad

If you were to compare Brad and Satchel from a musical standpoint, it would be quite difficult to differentiate one from another. Heck, even the participating musicians are almost identical -- singer Shawn Smith and drummer Regan Hagar have appeared on every single release by each band. But the one element that makes it either "Brad" or "Satchel" is Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard -- when Gossard is present, it's Brad, and when he's not, it's Satchel. Both groups have never been short on material, however, as it often seems that quite a few tracks don't make the final cut. That's where the 11-track compilation Brad vs Satchel comes in, as it collects outtakes from the 2001 sessions that became Brad's Welcome to Discovery Park release, as well as tracks recorded in 1997 that were meant for a never-released third album by Satchel. As with either group's albums, most of the songs can be categorized as either piano-based ballads or funky rockers, and this proves to the case once more. "Looking Forward" and "Whose Side Are You On" fit the former description, while "Roll Over" and "3 O'Clock" fit the latter. But also similar to their previous releases, the piano ballads begin to blur into one another and get "same sounding" after a while. For hardcore fans, Brad vs Satchel will be of interest. But if you're a casual fan, you'd probably be better off sticking with the studio albums by each group. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide