Welt – Brand New Dream – Review

Welt

Brand New Dream (BYO)
by Scott Hefflon

It’s been a long, hard road for Welt. On Brand New Dream, their fourth full-length, only-original-member Jason (vocals/bass) sounds tough’n’hardened, kinda heartbroken but coping… And the production, courtesy of The Blasting Room team – Bill Stevenson, Stephen Egerton, and Jason Livermore – is understandably huge without being slick and glossy, cuz that just wouldn’t fit.

When Doctor Dream died after releasing “Better Days” and “Kicked in the Teeth Again,” it knocked the stuffing outta the band. I saw ’em on their first tour; there were five of us there, two of us Editors of local rags.

Anyway, Welt regrouped, picking up a couple new guitarists and, after a false start, the former drummer of Save Ferris. It all gels nicely, and Jason’s voice is conversational and human, a little rough, but not, ya know, Rancid. Not as distinctive as Mike Ness’ patented style, nor as gravelly as ALL’s Chad, but let’s be realistic, huh? Closing with the over-covered Misfits classic, “Hybrid Moments,” Welt puts Jason’s tuff voice to good use, and while not doing anything new with the song, yeah, it’s a keeper.
(PO Box 67A64 Los Angeles, CA 90067)