Brad Rizer

Many people in the local music scene in Ogden have long awaited the release of Brad Rizer’s full-length album, “Revival of a Broken Soul.” It’s taken Rizer nearly three years to release the album, due to the passing of his best friend and bandmate, Nate Pectol.

After dealing with the heartbreak and sorrow, Rizer has at last made the album a reality and will be celebrating its release with a concert on Saturday, Dec. 20, at Mojos Music Venue.

Rizer will be joined on stage by his friends in the punk band The Tainted Halos, as well as husband-and-wife indie duo Goose Chase and solo acoustic artist Morgan Thomas. Rizer has played with this lineup for a few years, and refers to his friends in the music scene as his big family.

“I’m constantly playing shows with these people, there hasn’t been any distance from us, really,” Rizer said of his CD release show lineup. “Goose Chase played my last EP release, too, so I always keep well with these people and really close because they are my family. They’re not just friends — everyone’s family.”

The revival

Casey Romney of Goose Chase started recording “Revival of a Broken Soul” with Rizer’s full band — which included Pectol — in 2012. Weeks before the recording process was to begin, Rizer and Pectol practiced every song meticulously, getting the tempo, timing and instrumentals just right.

“While Nate was recording the rhythm guitar I was recording the mandolin and we were about 10 feet apart,” Rizer explained. “So we’d get that solid, and then we’d go back through and he’d be recording the lead guitar and I would be recording the banjo. It gives this really live feel to it, and we were knocking out songs one after another.”

The album features multi-instrumentalist Rizer on mandolin, banjo, guitar, percussion and vocals, with Pectol on guitar and vocals, Mike Wright on upright bass, Romney on electric bass, Austin Frodsham on fiddle, Stratton McCausland on keyboard, and Taylor Sullivan doing backup vocals.

Rizer says the album features a bunch of unplanned sounds that were created in the studio. He was also surprised at the quality of the “rough cuts” coming from the recording sessions.

“We did just a whole bunch of stuff in studio and a lot of what you hear on the album was never planned, they just kind of happened while we were there,” Rizer said. “It’s fun. There’s a part in the album that we actually recorded Nate, Mike (Wright) and myself stomping down the stairs.”

Although the recording process began in 2012, it was cut short when Pectol died that November. Rizer took his time with the album after that, and finished it up earlier this year.

“This is my Christmas present to everybody, the show and releasing the CD,” he said. “You still have to pay for it, but this is three years people have been waiting. This has been three years of people legitimately upset at me because I haven't released it yet.”

Good company

Rizer said he is going to perform the entire album front to back. And, for the first time since Pectol’s death, Rizer will be accompanied on stage by a full band. Typically, Rizer will go the solo acoustic songwriter route, but for this special occasion members of bands from his record label, Beergrass Records, will play the album with him.

“We’re going to play the album exactly how you hear it live, so every single song will be played, every little portion of it will be at the show,” Rizer said.

Danny Wildcard will be the featured banjo player, with Scott Ferrin on guitar. Carrie Myers will switch off with Rizer on mandolin, Nick Poulsen will play the drums, and Romney — just like on the album — will play bass.

Although Rizer says has no plans to appear with a full band again, he’s not completely ruling it out.

“It’s possible, I might call on them every now and again. I don’t normally play with people because after getting as close as I did to Nate and losing him, it didn’t feel right,” Rizer said. “I have a hard time even when it’s me and Dustin (Booker) sitting around playing guitars. I have a hard time doing that, and that’s one of the biggest humps I've had to get over, is just sucking it up and doing it. So there’s no plan for it, but they are people that will always be there when I need them.”

Rizer wants people who come to the CD release show to come with the expectation of getting to know a lot of really cool people.

“I treasure the connections and relationships that I've made with these people, and the only reason that I am who I am is because of the people that I surround myself with,” he said. “They are all absolutely amazing, and I want people to come be a part of that.”

Welcome to the End

Thomas, who is opening up the show and has been playing acoustic showcases with Rizer at Mojos for years, said it’s been interesting to see Rizer go through his loss and come out on top with a new record.

“I’ve always felt that Brad was one of the most genuine artists that there are, not just as an artist but as a person, and I think that shows through his music,” Thomas said. “Everything that’s happened to him in the last couple of years, it all shows through his music because he’s real about it, and he writes about his experiences.”

Most songs on the 12-track album were written by Rizer, except two that were written by Pectol and one that was written by Tainted Halos. “Welcome to the End” is a Pectol original that still leaves Rizer emotional when he performs it.

Rizer said he wants people who hear the album to interpret it how they will, and remain open-minded.

“I’ve had so many people come up to me and tell me these different feelings that they’ve had from it, and I love the fact that it can be so open-ended,” Rizer said. “It has a clear message, on my side, of what I want, but it’s open-ended enough that other people can make their own meanings to these songs, and that’s what’s beautiful from it.”

“Revival of a Broken Soul” will be available for purchase at the concert for $10. Presale tickets are available to the concert and cost $5. Rizer said people who buy presales will not only save $2 at the door, but can purchase the album for $5. For tickets, contact Rizer or Chris Johnson of Beergrass Records, beergrassrecords.com, or 801-529-5993.

“I want everyone to be open, I don’t want there to be any boundaries,” Rizer concluded. “I want it to be just an amazing night of new music, new friendships.” - Standard Examiner