Getta Look At This Mark Marshall's CD New Eye may cause you to blink, but then you'd miss the good stuff
by Mary Palmer
Mark Marshall is a product of his environment and yet he is the master of what comprises that environment. His 2007 CD New Eye is certainly a whirl-wind of 70's-90's music influences that are somehow distinctive rather than cover.
Rather than going track by track to discuss the music I want to share with you the song The Flame. A sneaky little tune smack-dab in the middle of the CD, this instrumental is powerful...emotive...gripping...a life-expressing and changing kind of song. It begins with a simply piano theme that is encased in a synthesized-string cocoon. There is loss, hope, pain and beauty within this song. I can not express in strong enough terms how stirring The Flame is. The kind of song that is just looking for a documentary to star in, you know?
I could write more about each song, about the bizarre and often insane life that Mark Marshall has survived but that would make me one of ninety-billion music biz folks who are chattering about Mark Marshall. I would rather you just listen to The Flame. You'll immediately know Mark Marshall....at least one side of this complex and very talented musician.
Mary Palmer is the music director for High Plains Public Radio.
