theMark Bio:http://www.themarkmusic.com
theMark is a five piece from Boston, Massachusetts who have been around since 2002. Their sound is difficult to classify as it draws from many different genres to create a unique sound that is as stunning as it is captivating. Blackouts of Whitecaps is the follow-up EP to their independently funded 2004 debut album The Catastrophist. The band's acclaim from this EP built exponentially on the buzz their debut album created as their fan base expanded almost as much as their sound.
theMarks guitarists Alec Eiffel and Jay Lovell blend crunching power chords with a sultry counterpoint that draws you in with both its technicality and its beauty. Bassist Jason Autore compliments the guitars with bass lines that not only reinforce the rhythm but accentuate the melody. Vocalist Paul Farris exhibits a mix of crooning sullen notes and strong forceful lead melodies that would fit in among the likes of Thursdays Geoff Rickly and Thrices Dustin Kensrue. Drummer Jordan DeLiso delivers fairly cymbal heavy rhythms with clever fills that tie the songs together nicely.
Each song on this EP is a journey. When you think you know which direction the song is going to go next, you will often be pleasantly surprised how wrong you are. theMarks experimental approach to songwriting employs many jazz and progressive stylings to build their musics intensity to the point where at any given moment the song feels like it may explode. And it often does, at just the right moment. Many bands that consider themselves experimental convey this in their music to the point where only the musical elite can understand what their songs are trying to accomplish. theMark manage to create a kind of subdued complexity that is accessible to anyone and should appeal to many without sacrificing originality.
This is a solid EP all around, and even the untitled interlude tracks are beautiful mini songs of their own. theMark have a bright future ahead of them if they can find some decent label support. If Blackouts of Whitecaps was a persuasive speech, the emotional appeals created by theMark could convince even the most skeptical listener to leap off a tall building or run headlong into a tidal wave. Each song, each line, each note, leaves the listener at the mercy of theMark, leaving them spellbound and begging for more.
--Daniel Smith
Decoymusic.com
