Mark Abis is a singer-songwriter and guitarist... hey! No! Wait! Come back! Honestly! Yes, I know there are fifteen mediocre singer-songwriters with guitars for every grain of sand in the world, but I promise you, this one is worth your time. I promise.
OK? Good.
Mark Abis is a singer-songwriter and guitarist who takes that most established of musical identities and stamps it with his own unique personality. His voice is warm and inviting, combining a heartfelt sweetness (occasional echoing Nick Drake and John Martyn) with a subtly rough'n'ready edge. His songs are full of interesting melodies, original cadences and satisfying but un-showy instrumentation, and his lyrics are awash with evocative imagery, managing to avoid the “I loved her and I lost her and that's about it” clichés that dog many singer-songwriters.
The production sounds deceptively simple, bringing in pretty ornamentation when it's necessary (the haunting flutes on “Circus” are a particular highlight), but always letting the songs breathe on their own terms, without resorting to cheesy swells of strings. Abis knows how to manipulate the rise and fall of a song to create a real journey, and this technical subtlety effectively compliments his ear for an original melody and an attention-grabbing turn of phrase.
Earnest men with guitars are ten-a-penny or more. Earnest men with guitars who are worth your time are fewer and further between – so don't miss out on this one.
review by Stefan Mohamed
Contact Mark Abis!
sam@serpentsounds.com
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