[Album Review] Brad Schecter ‘Live Your Dreams’
Brad Schecter is an Independent Rocker hailing from Los Angeles, CA. – After successfully releasing ‘Live Your Dreams’ We, at Exposed Vocals had the pleasure of helping Brad get his incredible successful single ‘Another Day’ played on KISS 104.7 FM all month (and the feed back has been awesome!) This Album has been superbly produced and might mention that Brad wrote all the music and lyrics including the guitar solos and played most of the instruments including piano, drums, keyboards, auxiliary percussion, lead and backing vocals. He also wrote the guitar parts on Piano. This guys is a rock star in the making.
This is an excellent Album without a single weak link. All the songs manage to juggle being commercial and ‘radio-friendly’ without ever being formulaic. I expect Brad will build a big cult following round the world. As someone that is passionate about the album as art form, and this moving, poignant work is a very good example of it. I recommend that everyone gives it a good listen, you’ll be rewarded for your time.
So, lets get in to it!
BBC-
“BBC” starts off as an an elegant, poignant piano ballad, the quality of this track, both musically and, particularly, instrumentally is of the highest caliber and you can tell that this track sets the stage for this whole album as a labor of love.
Blind Eye –
The first two minutes of “Live Your Dreams’ is very relaxing yet upbeat.Then, track 2 “Blind Eye’ came on and completely rocked my world. It’s a great upbeat rocker featuring some fantastically mellifluous guitar runs.
Another Day –
This may be my favorite song on the album! This a very enjoyable ride that will find favor amongst those whose tastes lean towards left of field and are bored of the cookie-cutter fodder that pollutes the mainstream charts.
Spring –
‘Spring’ is another serious single with an acoustic section that brings you into a relaxed feel and then explodes into another colossal riff and climaxing with another enjoyable Brad Schecter Solo. Love this one!
So Long Sonata –
If all this darkness-to-light fare sounds pretentious it actually isn’t at all, and that’s because this song sounds like it’s written from a real, raw, emotional place. There is sadness in the song, but there is also a sense of optimism, of overcoming struggle, of hope..
Reminiscence –
Returns to the more melancholy, somber style and the haunting, nocturnal feel of the piano with its descending melodies perfectly mirrors the evocative feeling this album gives.
Just In Case –
This is another great track – it’s a bit hard to hear the vocals, initially – but the sounds ties in nicely and the epic guitar riffs and creates an intoxicating, atmospheric effect.
True Selfie –
It starts with a certain angle: a smartphone tilted at 45 degrees just above your eye-line is generally deemed the most forgiving. Then a light source: the flattering beam of a back-lit window or a bursting supernova of flash reflected in a bathroom mirror, as preparations are under way for a night out…
But that’s not a true selfie…
“Why are you smiling if that’s not how you feel in side?” This track is deep as Brad explores the possibility on one to “just be your self” and to “stop pretending”.
Live Your Dreams –
“Live Your Dreams” is a massively intense finale to this epic album. It gives you the sense that you’re coming into something heavy. It features some lovely celesta-style descending melodies and a sparse but effective drum beats.
Overall, these nine songs comprise an extremely enjoyable forty minutes of carefully crafted rock music that melds its influences into something potent, breathing some new life into a genre that some feel has ‘all been done’. From the songwriting, to the musicianship, singing and production, there is nothing here that is not of the highest quality. By taking the best elements of the greats and adding his own twist, Brad Schecter has shown that rock is far from dead and I’d recommend that everyone should check out his music, and turn up the volume.
Stream the Album here on Spotify: Live Your Dreams
The Band:
Brad Schecter-Lead and backing vocals, Piano, keyboards/synths, Drums, and auxiliary percussion
Greg Karas-Guitars
Drew Allsbrook-Bass
Additional Rhythm Guitar and Bass played by Danny Balistocky
Music and Lyrics by Brad Schecter
Recorded at Revolution Nine Studios in Hollywood, CA and The People’s Music in Sherman Oaks, CA
Produced by Daniel Balistocky
Engineered by Daniel Balistocky and Drew Allsbrook
C 2015
Album photography and stills by Rich and Christine Yodsukar
This album is dedicated to my father, William Jules Schecter, M.D.
This album chronicles the past 22 years of my life including the death of my father at age 16, my ongoing struggle with depression and anxiety, the recent estrangement of my mother, but most importantly, never giving up. Although it took 22 years to write and realize my vision, it was not until recently that I finally felt like I was ready to share my life story with the world. I hope you like what you have heard so far, what you are about to hear, and for more to come in the near future.
-Brad Schecter
www.facebook.com/singerbradschecter
Instagram.com/bradschecter
www.soundcloud.com/bradschecter
By Heather M [#HBDidIT]
Exposed Vocals contributer – Album Reviews
