SCOTT BRICKLIN – ST (2011)

Avid ’80s AOR fans are aware of ‘Bricklin’, the 1986 album from the Philadelphia band of the same name formed by brothers Brian & Scott Bricklin, a very nice lite AOR / Hi-Tech CD plenty of beautiful melodies, featured at 0dayrox some weeks ago in remastered form. They later were known as ‘Martin’s Dam’, and after that Scott become producer, session musician and US Rails band member.
Since several years ago SCOTT BRICKLIN moved to France, and while still producing and writing songs for others, started a solo career – and this self-titled CD is his solo debut under his own name, released 2011 by himself, without a record label.

As on his previous bands, Scott plays all the instruments on this recording with ease in a warm and earthy style, and the vocals are melodic and sweet as ever, but what makes the difference here is his consummate songwriting.
Musically ranging from Classic Rock, Melodic Rock and some Americana, the hooks really fly on this 12-track solo CD accompanied by great true-to-life storylines hitting you right where you belong.
Bricklin is a gifted lyricist, and this is one of the strongest selling points in this release.

“Miracles”, the intro song, puts you in a Tom Petty zone with all the reflections and the flow just carries you away. If you like the good, juicy traditional classic rock you’ll love it, no doubt.
“We Shall See” follows in a mid-paced tempo that somehow reminds me Mike Tramp, and then the melodic “Down For The Count” is like a lullaby ala early Cheap Trick with gentle guitars and percussions.
The moody melodic rock ballad “Then And Now” is one of my favorites. Lyrically wonderful, Scott shows himself and the meaning of then and now. Listen close and I bet you can relate.
“Jesus On The Metro” tells an expressive story about making his way in the world and running late and out of time, another very good theme adorned in acoustics and with Mark Spiro in mind.

“Straight Into The Wall” is a very American melodic rocker with a harmonic chorus showhing Scott’s ability to write a contagious tunes, followed by the straight, simple and lovable ballad “Nothing More Than You” including surround keyboards.
What a great song is “Starbreaker”. It is inevitable not to compare Bricklin’s pen to nineties Spiro magic here. Excellent melodies and lyrics telling the tale and story of what could’ve been.
“Dark Clouds, Blue Skies” is quite Beatlesque, but Scott injects his penchant for AORish nuances as he clearly demonstrated in the past, and the song takes you back to other times when the essence in a tune ruled.
The disc ends with “Every Single Thing”, a melodic bluesy track so intense in its delivery that will carry you away and will make you float away to a zone where you probably haven’t been in long, long time. Love the vocals, the lyrics, it goes through steps and you just need to keep up with the pace and walk with it.

Scott Bricklin has made a fantastic collection of tunes which highlight his talent as song maker, but also as singer and complete musician. It’s a very mellow ‘songwriter artist’ album but not the type from a guy paid by himself comfortably lying on a Niza beach.
Scott supplies the magic dust that makes the difference on so many levels. His playing, personality and telepathy are blessed by a Midas touch.
If you like ‘real songs’, music coming from the heart and with emotion, sensibility, and musicality – don’t miss this CD.
Highly Recommended

01 – Miracles
02 – We Shall See
03 – Down For The Count
04 – A Night With You
05 – Then And Now
06 – Jesus On The Metro
07 – Straight Into The Wall
08 – Nothing More Than You
09 – Starbreaker
10 – Dark Clouds, Blue Skies
11 – Angel Deep Down
12 – Every Single Thing

Written, Produced, Engineered, Performed and Mixed by Scott Bricklin
Additional Production on Track 8 by Nicholas Dufournet
Drums on Track 12 by Matty Muir
Recorded at Melodium Studios, Montreuil, France and Palais Royale, Bryn Mawr, PA, USA
Mastering by Brian Bricklin (Scott’s brother)

Try here:
amazon.com/Scott-Bricklin/dp/B0065NPQ8M