A number of months ago
I did a small review on Marbin's first album, and they were pleased
enough with it that they offered me a chance to listen to their
newest release for free. I like that as a reviewer, I'm getting
enough recognition that some artists are willing to send me their
material to review. I imagine that if I were a musician, reviews
would be kinda scary. People who claim to be professionals sit and
analyze and criticize the music that you've put so much of yourself
into. I don't know what it means really to be a professional in this
field... I just give my opinion really, but I have lambasted a couple
of albums in my time as a writer. I suppose Marbin is confident
enough in this album, especially since I showed a great affection
toward their first release, that they were willing to put Last
Chapter of Dreaming in the line of fire to see if it meets or
surpasses my expectations.
And understandably so.
I really enjoyed Marbin's self titled album, but this one is so much
more confident and refined. This is really the kind of music that
jazz should have evolved into. It's very distinctly modern, while
sticking to the elements that give jazz its identity. The songs move
from structured hooks to free formed solos smoothly and swiftly. At
times they indulge in rock music, while other moments it has explores
some world music influences, from middle eastern music to tunes with
a Latin flare.
Truthfully, it's
unlikely that you'll know which song goes with which title, but the
overall vision of the album dominates over the individual tracks.
That's fine and a natural consequence of the genre because there
aren't any obvious pop hooks. Their music isn't about that. Instead
we're treated to long powerful solos from guitars and saxophones,
playing against a strong rhythm section and strong keyboard chords.
It's not to say that the songs sound the same, they're rather
distinct, but there is a sense of unity within the album that makes
it a stronger whole.
As far as structure
goes, the album as a whole seems to start off with all of its cards
on the table, pleasantly bombarding you with fast and heavy beats
that leave a strong impression, but as the album progresses it gets a
bit slower and more contemplative, particularly right near the end.
This shows some intention when choosing the track order, as if they
wanted to take you on a journey. There is a couple of songs in the
middle that really have captured my attention. The playful “Redline”
is a quirky and energetic tune while it's followed by “Volta,” a
dramatic and frantic composition that really shows off their musical
abilities as song writers and performers.
Marbin are an act to
keep an eye on and I've really come to appreciate them, even more so
after hearing Last Chapter of Dreaming. Their clever and
challenging compositions are both engaging and accessible, but
occasionally intimidating. But what's really great is that Marbin has
a sound and certain flavour to their music and it really comes
through for them. Their personalities are reflected through their
songs and that's really impressive when it's all instrumental music.
And it's fun enough that it doesn't come across as pretentious. It
seems that these guys are always playing shows and working hard and
they're getting more and more attention because of it. Still, I would
love to see them get even more popular, not only for them, but for
you too. Don't your ears deserve some Marbin?
4.5 Stars
No comments:
Post a Comment