Mark Lind - 7-7-2008 at 08:22 PM
I find it much more important when an actual listener gives a good review than when a journalist does it.....
We all hate to compare artists to others but it is inevitable and I am sure Mr. Lind will agree on that. I picked up Mark's new CD at the
Portland, Maine show on 6/28/08 because Bull Moose couldn't get it in their store in time after pre-ordering their album to support the band. There
are VERY few artists that have true improvement in their songwriting as time goes on. Specifically, there are only two artists that I truly feel
improves with each release and that is Social Distortion/Mike Ness & Mark Lind/Ducky Boys. Both improve their craft with each release. I have been
following Mark Lind's music since I discovered Ducky Boys in 1999 with their Dark Days release, so it is fair to say I am a longtime "fan" if you
will. In 2006 Mark released 2 amazing albums on the same day with his first solo outing "Death or Jail" and "The War Back Home" from the Ducky Boys.
Both were great albums and both appealed to different sides of me. Although it is easy to say that Mark's solo material is an extension of Ducky Boys
I appreciate them both on different levels. After a self released EP that had some good tracks Mark announced "The Truth Can Be Brutal" was on the
way. It is easy to say it was worth the wait and yet another step forward. Every track stands on its own and has an amazing amount of hooks and
harmony. "The Truth Can Be Brutal" elevates Mark Lind & The Unloved to new level and it is criminal that his songwriting has been neglected on a
larger level. As a longtime follower I am pleased to say Mark has maintained his musical integrity while branching out just enough to keep it
different. Highlights for me on the album are "Familiar Face" as The harmonies are amazing yet subtle and the lyrics are easy to identify with,
"Dagger" shows Mark taking a risk like he did with "Bombs Away" on "The War Back Home" and it works well and the lyrics are great and "An Open Letter
To Boston" is Mark's version of "Story of My Life" and the song is probably the most unique on the album for me which makes it a stand out. If you
enjoy good old rock and roll with a kick of punk than this is a perfect album for you. I only have one complaint.....it needs MORE songs! I applaud
Mark and the Unloved on a great album and I am already looking forward to the next release! Although my ipod will be stuck on this one for months to
come.....
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000IONT74/ref=s9sims_c4_im...
Discipline - 7-7-2008 at 08:43 PM
A great review that I agree with 100%.
tireironsaint - 7-7-2008 at 08:54 PM
Much more of what I expect a review to be than that one from the Phoenix.
I finally got my copy of this album in the mail today and am on the second spin through right now. This is an amazing album, but as the reviewer said,
it's waaay too short. Obviously it's longer than an EP, but by my math it's less than a half hour long and that's way too small a dose of your songs
for me, Mark. Otherwise it's yet another stellar release.