Brad Albums (4)
What The Critics Say
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
'Welcome to Discovery Park'
Release Date 8/13/2002
Tracks 13
Label Redline
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Still offering the same kind of soft rock seen on Interiors but tempering it with a healthy dose of country, Brad steps into the next century with an album of breezy pop/rock. As on their last record, their songwriting hasn't quite caught up to their ambitions, but vocalist Shawn Smith is still a potent weapon. His thin croon gives tracks like "Shinin'" and "Yes, You Are" an emotional delicacy that would be lost on most other vocalists. By committing his beautiful voice to the songs here, he manages to really shape up a good portion of the album. "Drop It Down" is blatantly the worst song, a sloppy slab of jam rock that suffers from gutless production and a lack of swing. Luckily, they don't indulge their "funky" side nearly as much on this album. Unfortunately, while at their best on slow R&B-influenced ballads, that is also the one element of their sound they seem most willing to sacrifice, only letting it come out on the beautiful "Yes, You Are" and the lilting "Never Let Each Other Down." Surprisingly, the riff-driven "Revolution" is another good change of direction for the band, showcasing guitarist Stone Gossard's awesome mastery of mood and Smith's Prince-like screams. The members of Brad sound like they are attempting to make their albums less uneven, and they do a decent job of it. But they can't quite harness the magic they can pull off on a track-by-track basis, making this another quality album that still leaves the listener hungry overall for some better songs. ~ Bradley Torreano, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Where Brad's debut album was about experimenting with rhythms, their second record, Interiors, is about songwriting. Given its title, it perhaps shouldn't come as a surprise that Interiors is an introspective collection, but its tempered sound is somewhat of a shock when considering the grunge background of the entire band. In short, where Pearl Jam, Mother Love Bone and Satchel were all reminiscent of '70s hard rock, Brad now sounds like '70s soft rock. They don't quite have the songwriting skills of any Californian band from the '70s, but the sound is pleasant enough, making it roughly as successful as the uneven Shame. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Released a couple of months before Pearl Jam's Vs. broke sales records, Shame is one of the sharper side-project efforts out there, largely because it doesn't seek to clone the parent group. Instead of Gossard, the focus falls on vocalist Shawn Smith, the sweetly voiced, soul-inspired frontman who also achieved notice later for his own group, Satchel, as well as his project with production legend Steve Fisk, Pigeonhed. On his first major effort, Smith shows excellent control, avoiding the dubious theatricality of the likes of Michael Bolton. His astonishing falsettos have won him Prince comparisons, but he's no slavish imitator, with a rich tone and sense of hurt. He handles keyboards for the group as well, and his piano and organ parts quite fine and his performance sense generally spot on. His composition "Screen," especially when it gets to a lovely vocal/piano/bass break towards the end, is a good all-around showcase for his work. As a band, Brad works in traditional but quite effective ways, about as close as the group gets to Pearl Jam in any sense. If anything, in "My Fingers" the group actually has a better anthem than most of what's on Ten, Smith's heavily flanged vocals mixed with a stirring Gossard guitar build and rhythms crunch. The group mostly works in two modes -- uplifting, heavier rockers along the lines of "My Fingers," also including the quietly funky "20th Century" and the great album-finisher "We," and slower, quieter late-night groovers like "Buttercup" and "Good News." If not groundbreakers per se, the four always do a fine job, guaranteeing a pleasant listen through and through. Bassist Jeremy Toback's own vocal turn on the melancholic "Down" isn't bad either, while the squelchy-voiced "Rockstar" is an amusing little one-off, not to mention the weird rant in the album's final seconds. ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide
