Les Fradkin - "Remote Control"

Review by Aaron Cloutier

"Remote Control” by singer/songwriter Les Fradkin is self-described as “A look into a dystopian future of utterly complete indoctrination.” Within the first few seconds of listening, I was picking up on that vibe quickly. The mood of the piece is equal parts mellow and somber with each verse being sung with a sense of defeat as if lamenting on a dystopian future that hasn’t yet occurred.

The instrumentation is equally as cold as the ominous subject matter. Aside from the wistful guitar chords, and fragile vocals, the remainder of the instrumentation is exclusively digital which given the overall theme seems quite fitting. This adds an appropriate robotic nature to the sound supporting the absence of humanity lurking in the lyrical content.

The influence of which could very easily be taken from the current state of the world in the wake of Covid-19 but that’s just pure speculation on my part. I think the line that grips me the most would be the following.

“Silent scream you control my brain

When you’re not around it’s still the same

You are my Master, I do what I’m told

You turn me on Remote Control”

The vocals remind me of artists like Ayreon or Marillion as I detect a hint of a prog-rock influence happening. That all said, the music isn’t exempt from its influence either as flute samples, choir vocals, keys, and what sounds to be mellotron all bring me back to the first time I heard Pink Floyd.

Despite the song’s sonic influences, the structural integrity of “Remote Control” doesn’t meander into dream theater realms of exploration as it’s the story itself that is the focal point. Maybe this is how folk music will sound in the future. Hopefully, we’re not all indoctrinated by the government by then.

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About Les Fradkin

Les Fradkin is a Producer and Composer virtuoso Guitarist/Keyboardist and an innovator on the Mellotron and the Starr Labs Ztar. He employs futuristic playing techniques realizing Progressive Neo-Classical Rock from the Pioneer of MIDI Guitar. Les captured headlines as the Original Cast George Harrison in the mega-hit Broadway show "Beatlemania" in the 1970s and has played with The Ventures, enjoyed 16 #1 hits at mp3, Composed #1 hits for French Songstress Mireille Mathieu and Latin Pop icon Roberto Jordan, and won several awards from Akademia as well as several other Indie Music Channel Awards, including 2016 Best Instrumental Recording. He is also a member of the Television Producers Music Production Hall Of Fame as a Composer and has also been named one of the Top 20 Guitar Synthesizer players of all time by Wikipedia. He has played Mellotron, 12 and 6-string Guitar, Bass and Piano on dozens of Top 40 hit records throughout the early 1970's , and 1980's, scoring many US and UK chart placings throughout his career.

Learn more by visiting his website!