Over the past few years, the music scene of the Tufts community has had a shadow cast upon it by theMark. With a current incarnation made up of seniors Paul Farris, Alec Eiffel, and Jordan DeLiso, recent grad Jason Autore, and non-Tufts newcomer Jay Lovell, theMark has opened Spring Fling and has played everywhere from Hotung to local clubs (including The Paradise and Avalon).
Unlike many college bands, theMark has a professional sound. In fact, the band doesn't consider itself to be a "college band."
"I would consider us to be more of a regional band," said lead singer Paul Farris, "We've played in 10 states, including all over New England and the East Coast."
Late February saw the release of theMark's third studio work, "Blackouts of Whitecaps." It is complex, well-arranged and full - all qualities usually lacking from independently released EPs.
The first song, "Jekyll Walks," sets a strong pace for the album. Eiffel rips power chords alongside equally strong drumming, but the edge of the music subsides, allowing Farris to accent the song with his lyrics. The lulls in intensity, however, are short-lived as "Jekyll Walks" shifts into fifth gear, and we see an entirely different side of the song. Farris' strong and impassioned vocals guide the song through the dark introspective that is "Jekyll Walks."
"The song is about the split within one's conscience," said Farris, who, along with Eiffel, writes theMark's lyrics. "I get a lot of the lyrics from my own experience, but I try not to sound too epic," said Farris, who uses the literary metaphors of Dante and Robert Louis Stevenson in his song writing.
Throughout the EP, the music and lyrics complement each other well. "Musically, 'Blackouts of Whitecaps' is really chaotic and fast and exciting," said guitarist and backup vocalist Eiffel. Said bassist Autore, "There's a ton of stuff going on in the song, which makes it extremely interesting to both listen to and play."
According to theMark, all of the band's members write the music as a collaborative effort. This collaboration can be heard as the band works together through difficult musical transitions. Farris's vocals have a unique timbre and tone that reach all the high notes, with a seldom-seen fullness that makes even the casual listener stop and listen. Eiffel and Autore play together as if they share the same musical mind, exhibiting virtuosity beyond their years.
Between a few of the songs on "Blackouts of Whitecaps," there are short instrumentals that help connect the overall feel of the album as the tone of the songs changes from pessimistic to optimistic. Early songs like "Canto 12" and "Defect and Descend" are full of energy, with ominous lyrics about loss of control, panic and betrayal. The album begins to climb with the song "Compass Points," a song about searching for the silver lining and trying to find optimism.
The album truly starts to climax, however, with the second instrumental, culminating with the song "Sapphire." This song is a strong outro for EP, ending with the lyrics "Where we came forth / and once more saw the stars / and it was beautiful."
TheMark does not sound identical to other bands; however, its music is somewhat familiar. With "Blackouts of Whitecaps," the band sounds almost like Incubus on the "Make Yourself" album, except with a fuller and more defined sound.
TheMark plays fierce music that proves there is a future for rock and roll. This EP, currently available at www.themarkmusic.com, is definitely one that should find its way into your iPod. Whether you live for rock or just need a few high octane songs to keep you going at the gym, theMark delivers what you're looking for.
