Les Fradkin – “Together”

Les Fradkin – “Together” – Single Review

Yep.  This does indeed still sound like Les Fradkin.

I should have some semblance of an idea of what that would be like, given that this is the sixth time I’ve reviewed his music in this same year.  That being said, there are noticeable differences in this single than the majority of tunes I’ve heard from the guy to-date…the question is, are they the right move for him and his music?  It’s not that we shouldn’t all have the creative freedom to go out there and do whatever it is we feel like doin’ at any given time…but by that same token, not too many of us in life have our own signature sound either, you feel me?  Les is known for his presence and pioneering in ‘Jangle Rock’ – and no matter how you slice it, play it, or listen to it, “Together” is decidedly less jangly without question.

So.  The brief description that comes along with the song calls it the “anthem for today” – and what does that bring to your mind?  Just think about that for a second before you push play…imagine what you might think a song billed as the “anthem for today” could sound like and what it’d be about – and to be even more fair, don’t forget, it’s called “Together.”  Listen Les…I’ll be real with ya…I WISH this were the “anthem for today” and there are certainly many folks around the globe who I am sure would feel the same…but objectively speaking, this could very well be the anthem for a world long passed, or in the most optimistic assessment, an anthem for a future that’s not yet arrived.  But today?  I absolutely wish that was the case my friend…but Fradkin’s song is called “Together,” not “the mindless monotony of poor decision making, brutally uninspired leadership, and the horrifyingly paralytic perils of endless divisions.”

Ever the idealist, Les soldiers on.  Part of me wishes I shared his optimism and world view for sure – but I assess the planet with the same scrupulous eye that I bring to the reviews I write about music.  Critical yes, but more plainly observant, and as objective as I can possibly be.  Honest.  There’s a lot about “Together” that sounds hopeful, and I certainly appreciate that – you’ll hear the optimism in the main hook as the song begins.  Also, to be completely fair to Les, he does point out many of the things that are currently holding us back from the utopia Earth is SUPPOSED to be throughout the bulk of the lyrics in his verses, and in that respect, it’s a fairly accurate depiction of what we’ve been collectively going through as we battle the current divide separating us all.  Do I share his hope for a planet where we are “Together” and “there’s no more war” or “there’ll be no poor” – absolutely!  Of course I do.  Do I think that’s where we’re headed or what our priorities are?  Lemme check the current Forbes 400 list and the current projected winnings for the next Powerball lottery draw and whether or not Elon Musk is still a nightmarish representation of what a human being is supposed to be…hmm…yep…all of that is still awful enough to keep me awake for the rest of the year, and planet Earth has completely lost the plot.  Call it pessimism if ya like…I don’t feel that’s the case…I’m going with the view that’s ‘objective reality.’

Anyhow.  As for the song and how it sounds, I don’t think you can fault too much of what Fradkin does in his career…dude’s a seasoned veteran of the scene, knows how to write a song, and you’ll find several hooks threaded into “Together.”  It is very heavy on the rhyming in the lyricism, but you can’t deny that has an audible appeal to it, and gives the vocals you hear a flow that certainly has an allure to it.  He’s still saying what he wants to say as opposed to just fitting the rhyme scheme, and ultimately I suppose that’s what’s most important to me in this kind of scenario.  Les sings with the strength of his convictions and beliefs, and I admire that.  Amber Gomez does an excellent job of complementing his vocals in the chorus.  “Together” has a lot of that “Kumbaya” and “We Are The World” type of spirit to it, but there’s no doubt about the fact that the world could use a whole lot more of that, as opposed to whatever you’d call the disenfranchised attitude our planet is currently choosing to rock with.  Do I miss the jangle element of what Les tends to create in a tune like this?  Sure, a little bit…but he’s also given us plenty of it to listen to throughout the course of his career that we could all revisit at any given time too.

Les takes “Together” is a decisively different direction, fills it with the hopeful sentiment you’ll find in much of his music, and creates a song that is calling out for change while we still have the time to do it.  I don’t know that such a positively-charged message carries as far as he or I would hope that it does in the world we’re currently living in…but without folks like Fradkin being willing to speak up, I don’t know how we’d ever get there either.  In amongst these BIG drum sounds on “Together,” he’s definitely got the right ideals on display…it’s just a matter of whether or not our planet is in a place to hear them right now.  I have to admit, I’m not all that sure that it is…but by that same token, I’d absolutely love it if you would all prove me wrong.

Find out more info about Les Fradkin, check out his official website at:  https://lesfradkin.com

Find out what we do & how we do it at sleepingbagstudios, and be the next up on our pages by clicking here!