Les Fradkin, newly inducted into the Akademia Music Hall of Fame, is back! Wait…he never actually left – his back catalog is voluminous, and his current output continues unabated (which is great news for us, and any other fan of Les Fradkin’s timeless work). So, what does Mr. Fradkin – the creator of grand, densely layered rock – have for us today? Prepare yourself for “Together” – a song Mr. Fradkin refers to as “the ‘Give Peace a Chance’ and ‘Imagine’ of the 21st-century.” Let’s talk about it:
“Together” is a re-release taken from Mr. Fradkin’s first solo work – Reality: The Rock Opera. Originally recorded in 2003, this concept album features eerily prophetic themes on tracks we’ve reviewed previously here at The Ark of Music, like “Everything Is Wrong” and “System Crash.” “Together,” unlike those aforementioned pieces, is asking for a little more hope; a little more faith
“Together” starts with big drum hits before sliding into strumming acoustic chords. And right from the beginning, “together” is uttered with a multi-tracked vocal. Together, you see, is indeed the starting point, or state of being, humanity needs to attain if we’re to evolve, or at the very least, survive long enough to actually brush against our full potential. It’s only together, hand in hand, arm in arm, that mankind can weather any struggle or heroically supplant any limit.
The song is layered with guitars, synths, and strings; the chorus brings on Les Fradkin’s wife, Loretta Fradkin, who contributes layered female voices to further ignite this musical, emotional entreaty. And when the song ends, and the chorus sings its final refrain, we hear a big horn lead us to the final hopeful but battle-ready notes.
But is it good?
I mean….who are we talking about here? That’s right – Les Fradkin. So…of course it’s good! Remember when music moved generations? Remember when it actually had something important – something inspirational – to say? I realize that’s very hard to come by these days, but with Les Fradkin? Music still means something; music is still the melodic rallying cry for universal change. Recommended.
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