Paul and Kate, our thoughts and prayers go out to you and your families... you will always be in our hearts and minds.
There has been a fund set up to help with Kate's Medical Bills. Please send any donations to:
Farris-Hoyt Care Fund
T.D. Banknorth, 95 Highland Avenue
Needham, MA, 02494
(Any Banknorth can accept a donation.)
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In honor of Paul, the remaining members of theMark have decided to share the live recordings from some of our shows between October of 2005 and the last show at the Middle East in Cambridge on July 31st, 2006, as well as a personal recording of Paul's, in which he does a solo version of Thursday's Understanding in a Car Crash, which can be found here .
Please note that the website hosting these files is legitimate and we are not trying to get you to download any programs or anything. all links are for music files and require nothing besides an internet connection. the compressed folders are from shows with more than one track to them. thank you.
the show recordings are as follows:
Sad Cafe - 10.21.05
"the Joint" radio show - 11.8.05
Sad Cafe - 2.3.06
the Crossings - 6.9.06
Sad Cafe - 7.15.06
Middle East (last show) - 7.31.06
theMark is on indefinite hiatus. Thank you to everyone who supported our music over the past 5 years, especially Diane at the Sad Cafe for always being so good to us.
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Pop-punk has done a real number on rock music. Its influence has polarized the music scene to where serious rock is loud, dark, and moody, while fun rock is pop-punk or obviously-for-show retro. It's hard for a band to get accepted when they occupy that space in the middle. theMark not only occupies that space- it owns that space. It's not available for sale.
theMark knows how to be serious, have fun, and display an amazing technical prowess all at the same time. I know it sounds tough- but thats just because we've inoculated against good rock music.
theMark owns rock music by having each individual piece of the puzzle fall together. The bottom line is the bassist, who is extremely talented, but knows when to restrain himself. Hes equally at home in lightning-speed runs (Jekyll Walks), or simple lines (Sapphire), or no line (the second untitled interlude). He doesnt try to steal the show, but he displays his talent very well.
The drummer comes next- his versatility makes the rest of the sound work. His change-on-a-dime capabilities make songs like Sapphire possible- without the passionate, shifty drums, there just wouldnt be a basis for the song.
The guitars offer a lot to this album too- intricate and blazing, they are always fist-pumping. Whether theyre delivering coiled riffs (Sapphire) or huge chord riffs (Compass Points), they rock. They know when to get quiet, they know when to get loud, they just know. This band has a chemistry that seems telepathic- no matter what one part is doing, theres another part thats playing countermelody, interlocking perfectly. These songs are perfectly constructed. There is not anything wrong with any one of these tracks.
The vocals top it all off. There are two extremely talented vocalists here- a lead singer with a voice so smooth and persuasive that it could convince even the most hardcore skeptics of the moon conspiracy that we did, in fact, land on the moon. Its the type of voice you listen to the radio to hear- a great, talented voice. The bgvs are great as well, accentuating perfectly without sounding forced or false.
Sapphire is easily the best track here- the most intricate and complex, it also packs the most wallop. The two guitars weave in and out, creating in-and-out melodies while the drums and bass accentuate perfectly. The passionate vocals swoop and punch throughout, becoming forceful and furious without screaming (hallelujah).
Why theMark isnt famous is a mystery to me. They are easily the most talented band I've come across in all my music reviewing. They're making the oldest genre in rock feel new again, infusing power, agility, and youthful vitriol into it. The Mark own rocknroll right now- its up to everyone else to get up to theMark's standard. They've moved to the top of my watch list with this EP.
-Stephen Carradini
Independent Clauses
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Our final tracks will be up soon.
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