Welcome to Discovery Park

Brad | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 13, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Redline Ent
• ASIN: B00006BTAG
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #41,926 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #14 in Music > Indie Music > R&B > Funk
  • #68 in Music > Rock > Funk Rock

Track Listings

1. Brothers and sisters [Smith]

2. Shinin' [Smith]

3. Drop it down [Gossard/Smith]

4. Never let each other down [Smith]

5. If you could make it good [Smith]

6. Revolution [Hagar/Smith]

7. Takin' it easy [Smith]

8. Sheepish [Gossard]

9. All is one [Berg/Smith]

10. Couch T-bone [Brad/Smith]

11. La, la, la [Smith]

12. Yes, you are [Smith]

13. Arrakis [Berg/Smith]

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Brad further demonstrate a propensity for musical comfort food, '70s rock style, on their warm-sounding, soul-infused third album. Welcome to Discovery Park is a funny title for this recording, since there's actually little to uncover here. If you've listened to the radio since 1970, you can anticipate chord progressions and guitar solos. But the classic-rock textbook sounds just fine in Brad's hands, especially with production assistance from Phil Nicolo of the Butcher Brothers. While not as inventive as works by Wellwater Conspiracy (another retro-minded Seattle outfit) or Queens of the Stone Age, Discovery Park is not without its charms. Set highlight "La, La, La" is a warm blast of soulful pop-rock that is sure to keep fans of Urge Overkill and Grand Funk Railroad smiling for days. --Mike McGonigal

Product Description

Ori Release '02. Third album by the Seattle-based band , includes 2 bonus track "It Ain't Easy" & "Make Me Crazy" that is N/A in the Already-US-Deleted edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars La, La, La, January 18, 2003

By 

Blackout Nights (Alto, GA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Welcome to Discovery Park (Audio CD)

Trying to compare the group called Brad's third album to either one of their previously two releases is like trying to compare sausages to airplanes.

Their first early 90's release 'Shame' is totally groove oriented. It's something fresh, new and alive, and you can tell these guys had a blast making it.

Then in 1996, Brad releases 'Interiors' - a much more polished and produced effort. I believe it was their atempt to be a commercial success. Songs like "The Day Brings" and "Lift" will stand the test of time. However, the songs generated little radio-play and, as a direct result, this album did not achieve the heights it should have reached.

Now, we have 2002's 'Welcome to Discovery Park'.

Let me interject here by saying that though Brad is seen chiefly as a Stone Gossard side-project by "those who do not know" - this is basically Shawn Smith's band. And the members - Gossard (guitar), Regan Hagar (drums), Jeremy Toback (bass) and Mike Berg (bass&keyboards) - know it.

'WDP' is a much slower album than 'Shame' or 'Interiors'. This album moves like smoke flowing out into cobblestoned streets from a lonely bar on a moonlit night. If you're expecting what we know and love to be Brad, you're going to be disappointed, but there are two or three songs you will still probably enjoy, namely "La, La, La" - a strong, pop-fused playful romp that will have you begging to see them live.

On the other hand, if you're a Shawn Smith fan, then this is just your cup of tea. I could see many of these songs easily being on his "Let It All Begin" album.

For the new listener wondering whether to spend your hard earned dinero on this - I can only say that it depends on your taste. The closest Smith has gotten to the mainstream is when the Lo-Fidelty All-Stars did a remix of a song called "Battle Flag" which was originally released on Pigeonhed's 'The Full Sentence" album. I really can't recommend listening to samples of songs because, to me, samples are not good examples of group progression. Instead, go to ... and take a listen to some of the full tracks. If you dig those, buy the album.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Shawn Smith Hosts a Lo-Fi Reunion, February 19, 2003

By 

L. Heidel (The Dirty South, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Welcome to Discovery Park (Audio CD)

Shawn Smith.

Do you need another reason to buy this album? If so, you get one more. Brad is the modern equivalent of Temple of the Dog. A Seattle supergroup, made up of guys you may have never heard of before. Stone Gossard, Pearl Jam guitarist, you've heard of, and I understand your trepidation. You bought the Mike McCready solo project. You don't want to go down that road again. I assure you, it's not the same.

This is Brad's third album. They tour, they interact, Stone doesn't write the majority of the material. Like Satchel and Pigeonhed, this is the Shawn Smith show and he always delivers.

This album is about peace and retrospection. It's about the 70s and the 90s. It's about waking up and wanting the world to be different but not getting discouraged when nothing has changed. For the most part, Welcome to Discovery Park is a slow drive. Tracks like Revolution bring up the fuzz and tempo, while Brothers and Sisters and Make It Good reassure the signature voice and lyric that Smith provides.

While markedly different from 1997's Interiors in theme, the latest chapter of Brad has much of the same feel and vibe. Ideal for intimate settings where the quality of Smith's voice can be appreciated.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Welcom To Discovery Park?, November 23, 2002

By 

Cillie Girl (Bend, OR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Welcome to Discovery Park (Audio CD)

Hmmmm, I've been a fan so long now I almost expected to like anything touched by Shawn Smith. This is the long awaited third album from Brad. If you read some of these other reviews, you will know some of the history to this long awaited release. Sadly though, I am dissapointed. Given the talent of these ultra-fine musicians, I was surprised to find that even after repeated listenings, this effort is definetly lack-luster. I am still a fan though, and will continue to give this album a listen, just in case I have missed something. There are some good tracks, but over all compared to the kind of material they have given us in the past, this is mediocre at best. After 10 years I still like Shame best, and the Satchel albums are quite a treat too, not to mention Pigeonhed, The Twilight Singers etc...

I will eagerly await the next and hope for a better mix and the sound that made me a fan to begin with.